Pastors and church leaders, How is your spiritual tank? Are you pouring into others and feeling the need for spiritual renewal? Are you preaching, teaching, and serving well, yet individually you need a sense of balance in your own faith journey? Join us for the January Ministry Retreat where you will have an opportunity to find balance in your life in the areas of worship, prayer, bible study, service, and fellowship. Find fresh vitality in your journey so that you can better minister to others.
Welcome to an enhanced Balanced Faith Walk!
Rev. Handel Smith has served the Church of God at the local and national levels for over 40 years. His background is richly enhanced through education and extensive business experience, as well as a long and fruitful ministry in the Church of God. He is a graduate of Anderson University, and holds an MS in Business Administration and an Executive Leadership Certificate in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services from Johns Hopkins University. He has achieved Executive Leadership Certificate from the Wharton Business School and Rutgers Business School. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree from the Anderson University School of Theology. Along with his experience at several levels within the Church of God, Rev. Smith had an extensive career at Verizon, serving 27 years as the Vice President of Verizon Business with state and local government bodies. He has received many awards for his community service, including an award from the Governor of Maryland for implementing Celebrate Recovery Ministries within the prison system of Maryland.
Rev. Handel Smith is serving as the Executive Director for the US and Canada Strategy for Church of God Ministries in Anderson, Indiana. He serves the Church of God General Assembly by empowering the people of God to collectively build a Jesus-centered, biblically grounded Movement that brings the Kingdom to life on earth as it is in heaven. Rev. Smith’s work with Church of God Ministries involves leading a team of dynamic leaders that serve over 2,000 churches and over 6,000 ministers in the United States and Canada. In addition to his work with Church of God Ministries, He serves as Lead Pastor for the Celebration Church at Arrow Heights in Anderson, Indiana, supporting the national focus on Urban Ministry Initiatives. Celebration Church at Arrow Heights was the recent recipient of the Anderson Chamber of Commerce "2022 Religious Service Award."
Rev. Handel Smith lives in Fishers, Indiana, and has been happily married to his wife Vickey for 39 years. They have three children: Darius, Josiah, and Mariah. Rev. Smith and Vickey are dedicated to the mission of the Church of God. It is Rev. Smith’s expressed desire to be used by God to help Church of God churches continue to discover God’s purpose and to help people and organizations to reach their full potential in God. This they do together as ministers of music and are accomplished recording artists of the inspirational CD “Healed in His Presence.” Handel’s favorite verse expresses well his heart for the Lord and his determination to serve God with steadfast fruitfulness: “…His delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night…He is like a tree planted by streams of water which bears its fruit in season…whatever he does prospers…” (Psalm 1:2-3).
Dr. Carl Addison has served as the Executive Director of Earthen Vessels Ministry (EVM) for the past thirteen years. EVM exists to serve pastors, their families, and the congregations they serve. EVM offers pastoral care for pastors, multiple types of coaching for pastors, marital coaching for ministry couples, crisis care for pastors as well as ministry families, and other services designed to support those in ministry.
Carl pastored in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri for 28 years before founding EVM. He and his wife, Valerie, have been married for 43 years. They have three married children and eight grandchildren.
Carl also serves on the Indiana Ministries’ team as director of Thriving in Ministry, a comprehensive ministry designed to facilitate pastoral health and the spiritual formation of those in ministry Carl has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana Wesleyan University for the past 10 years.
Dr. Addison received his BA and M.Div. degrees from Anderson University and his D.Min. from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
Rev. Sandy Kuepfer [kip-fer] was raised in Wisconsin and graduated from Anderson University and the School of Theology, where she met her husband Scott, who is also an ordained pastor. Sandy served as associate pastor at Rustic Hills Community Church in Sioux Falls, SD for nine years. She then stayed home with her children, Noah and Ella, for nine years. FIve years ago, her family moved to the Lansing area, where they worship at Pennway Church of God. Sandy completed her certification for Spiritual Direction from Sioux Falls Seminary in 2017. Currently she is bi-vocational and offering spiritual direction part-time. Through retreats, classes, spiritual direction, and everyday conversations, Sandy enjoys sharing with believers about contemplative spiritual practices, prayer, and creating space to rest and listen to Jesus.
01:30-4:00 p.m.
Registration in the Ministry Center
4:00 p.m.
Rev. Jeff Eckman speaking and Handel and Victoria Smith Worship
6:00 p.m.
Dinner
7:00 p.m.
Free time with bowling
8:00 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00-11:00 a.m.
Session 1 – Rev. Handel Smith
12:30 p.m.
Lunch
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Session 2 – Rev. Handel Smith
6:00 p.m.
Dinner
7:15-8:15 p.m.
Community Worship - Handel and Victoria Smith and Rev. Portia Davis-Mann
(Communion)
8:15 p.m.
Free time
8:00 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00-10:30 a.m.
Session – Rev. Handel Smith
10:30-11:00 a.m.
Concluding Session -
Survey from Sheryl Thompson
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Eastern Canada Ministers - Single Occupancy: $300.00
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Eastern Canada Ministers - Double Occupancy: $250.00
Retired Ministers - Single Occupancy: $200.00
Retired Ministers - Double Occupancy: $150.00
Out-of-State Ministers - Single Occupancy: $350.00
Out-of-State Ministers - Double Occupancy: $300.00
Daily Attendance - Jan. 30: $90.00
Daily Attendance - Jan. 31: $125.00
Daily Attendance - Feb. 1: $30.00
Lifelong Learning Matching Funds may be used for this event. Email the Service Center to request your current balance.
Lifelong Learning Registration is part of the online registration.