“Renewing Your Purpose”
April (25)26-28, 2024 – CAMP-of-the-WOODS, NY
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13 NLT
(schedule subject to change)
THURSDAY, APRIL 25 – PRE RETREAT
| Start | End | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | 5 p.m. | Check-in for Thursday arrivals | Front Desk |
| 4 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | Authors check-in books at reNEW Book Table | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 4:15 p.m. | 5:15 p.m. | “Get to know each other” First Timers Orientation Returnees Reception | TBD |
| 5:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | Dinner | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 7:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. | Evening Prayers with Jennifer Drummond | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 8:00 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | Night Owl Session “Excellent smartphone photos: How to take photos, edit and use them for writing/speaking” – photographer Marla Darius | TBD |
FRIDAY, April 26 – PRE RETREAT
| Start | End | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 a.m. | Early Morning Coffee | Purdy Center Lobby | |
| 7:15 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | Morning Prayer with Jennifer Drummond and Deb Dufek | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 7:30 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | Morning Prayer Walk | Meet outside Purdy Center Lobby |
| 8:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 9:15 a.m. | 11:45 a.m. | Optional Critique, Coaching, Spiritual Direction and Headshot Appointments Orientation of facilities and campus with COTW staff | Booking Details: Critiques & Coaching Spiritual Direction Headshots |
| 12:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. | Lunch | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 1:15 p.m. | 2:15 p.m. | One-Hour Write-In Session led by faculty and alumni | TBD |
| 2:30 p.m. | 3:45 p.m. | Early Bird Workshops Writing All Your Wrongs: Editing that Transforms Your Novel* – Tessa Afshar The Third Path: A Journey for Writers on the Path of Questioning Session 1 – Eva Marie Everson A Speaker’s Heart* – Cynthia Fantasia Plan to Persevere – Lori Roeleveld How to Write and Speak About Hard Topics* – Kia Stephens Turning Your Story Into a Screenplay or Stage Play* – Lauren Yarger | See Workshop List |
Self-planned writing time is available until 4 pm (specific room to be assigned).
FRIDAY, April 26 – MAIN RETREAT
| Start | End | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | Check-In for Friday arrivals | Front Desk |
| 1 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | Authors check-in books at reNEW Book Table | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 1:15 p.m. | 2:15 p.m. | One-Hour Write-In Session led by faculty and alumni | TBD |
| 2:30 p.m. | 3:45 p.m. | Early Bird Workshops – see Thursday above. | See Workshop List |
| 3 p.m. | 4 p.m. | reNEW Book Table | Buirkle Center |
| 4 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. | Welcome with Director Rachel Britton Keynote: “Renewing Your Purpose” Rachel Britton Writing Accomplishments Celebration with Rachel Britton, Heidi Chiavaroli and Lori Roeleveld | Buirkle Center |
| 5:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | Dinner | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 6:45 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | Worship + more Keynote: “What is That You Have in Your Hand” Eva Marie Everson | Buirkle Center |
| 8:30 p.m. | 9 p.m. | reNEW Book Table – Author signings | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 9 p.m. | 10 p.m. | Night Owl Session: “Unveiling Your Real-Life Stories” – Myra Ingargiola | Purdy Center Social Hall See Workshop List |
Self-planned writing time is available until 4 pm (specific room to be assigned).
SATURDAY, April 27 – MAIN RETREAT
| Start | End | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | Early Morning Coffee | Purdy Center Lobby | |
| 7:15 a.m. | 8 a.m. | Morning Prayer with Jennifer Drummond + Cathy Chung | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 7:30 a.m. | 8 a.m. | Morning Prayer Walk | Meet outside Purdy Center Lobby |
| 8 a.m. | 9 a.m. | Breakfast | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 9:15 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | Workshops: How to Start and Grow Your Email List – Heidi Chiavaroli The Third Path: A Journey for Writers on the Path of Questioning Session 2 – Eva Marie Everson The Speaker and the Listener – Ensuring the “Twain” Shall Meet – Cynthia Fantasia Step Up and Step Over Imposter Syndrome – Cindy Saab From Blog to Book Deal: 10 Practical Steps You Can Take to Get Published – Kia Stephens The Art of Critical Writing – Lauren Yarger | See Workshop List |
| 10:45 a.m. | 12 p.m. | Workshops: Deep Point of View: The Secrets of Writing an Immersive Story – Tessa Afshar The Third Path: A Journey for Writers on the Path of Questioning Session 3 – Eva Marie Everson A Speaker’s Heart* – Cynthia Fantasia 10 Disturbing Ways God May Use Your Writing – Lori Roeleveld Growing Your Audience By Focusing on a Niche Market – Kia Stephens Turning Your Story Into a Screenplay or Stage Play* – Lauren Yarger | See Workshop List |
| 12 p.m. | 1 p.m. | Lunch | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 1:15 p.m. | 2:15 p.m. | Panel Discussion with our experts on building your platform and marketing your books. | Buirkle Center |
| 2:15 p.m. | 4:15 p.m. | reNEW Book Table | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 3:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Hike – led by Angela Nicole | Meet outside Purdy Center Lobby |
| 2:15 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. | Free Time/Recreation Options | Various Locations |
| 2:30 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. | Two-Hour Write-In Session led by faculty and alumni | TBD |
| 3:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | Optional Critique, Coaching, Spiritual Direction and Headshot Appointments | Booking Details: Critiques & Coaching Spiritual Direction Headshots |
| 5:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | Dinner | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 6:45 p.m. | Group Photo | Buirkle Center | |
| 7:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | Worship + more Keynote: “Writing and Speaking Abour Hard Topics in Hard Times” Kia Stephens | Buirkle Center |
| 8:30 p.m. | 9 p.m. | reNEW Book Table | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 8:30 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | Community Campfire | Lakeside |
Self-planned writing time is available throughout the day (specific room to be assigned).
SUNDAY, April 28 – MAIN RETREAT
| Start | End | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | Early Morning Coffee | Purdy Center Lobby | |
| 7:15 a.m. | 8 a.m. | Morning Prayer with Jennifer Drummond | Purdy Center Lobby |
| 7:30 a.m. | 8 a.m. | Morning Prayer Walk | Meet outside Purdy Center Lobby |
| 8 a.m. | 9 a.m. | Breakfast | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 9:15 a.m. | 10:15 a.m. | One-Hour Write-In Session with faculty and alumni | TBD |
| 9:15 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | Workshops: The Beauty of Blogging – Rachel Britton Creating Compelling Characters – Heidi Chiavaroli The Third Path: A Journey for Writers on the Path of Questioning Session 4 – Eva Marie Everson Goal Setting for Goal-Resistant Writers – Lori Roeleveld | See Workshop List |
| 10:45 a.m. | 12 p.m. | Worship Service + more Sermon – Tessa Afshar “For Such A Time As This: Learning to Navigate the Seasons of the Writing Life” Communion with Rev. Dr. Cynthia Fantasia | Buirkle Center |
| 12 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | Book Table | Buirkle Center |
| 12:15 p.m. | Shuttle leaves for Albany airport | Front of Purdy Office | |
| 12:30 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | Takeway Lunch | Purdy Center Dining Room |
| 12:30 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | Checkout & Safe Travels! | Front Desk |
Self-planned writing time is available until 10:45 am (specific room to be assigned).