A Letter from Our Director
Dear Friends,
We are a week into the new year, and already I feel like I’m playing catch up! I find myself humming the words to a song I sang as a teenager, “Slow down; you move too fast!” As I’ve gotten older, I realize just how quickly time passes. Is it really possible that the holidays are over? Wasn’t it just yesterday that we celebrated Thanksgiving?
Slowing down has its advantages! Besides being able to breathe better, it presents the possibility of seeing things around us, either for the first time or with new perspective. Sometimes, though, I fear that if I slow down, things won’t get done or I might stop altogether! This probably has something to do with my need to control things, to make things right, and the fear that this might diminish my self-worth. It helps if I consider that slowing down can be as simple as “waiting for the Lord.”
So, as the new year begins, I turn to the prophet Isaiah for encouragement and insight:
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Perhaps at the beginning of 2022 we can decide that we will depend on God for the grace, energy, insight and whatever else we may need to live this life that God has given us. It is God’s gift, so let’s enjoy it, knowing that God will renew our strength again and again.
May you and your family experience the beauty of each day of the new year, acknowledging God’s blessings and offering a portion of them to others!
Happy New Year from all of us at the Conference/Retreat Center!
We are a week into the new year, and already I feel like I’m playing catch up! I find myself humming the words to a song I sang as a teenager, “Slow down; you move too fast!” As I’ve gotten older, I realize just how quickly time passes. Is it really possible that the holidays are over? Wasn’t it just yesterday that we celebrated Thanksgiving?
Slowing down has its advantages! Besides being able to breathe better, it presents the possibility of seeing things around us, either for the first time or with new perspective. Sometimes, though, I fear that if I slow down, things won’t get done or I might stop altogether! This probably has something to do with my need to control things, to make things right, and the fear that this might diminish my self-worth. It helps if I consider that slowing down can be as simple as “waiting for the Lord.”
So, as the new year begins, I turn to the prophet Isaiah for encouragement and insight:
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Perhaps at the beginning of 2022 we can decide that we will depend on God for the grace, energy, insight and whatever else we may need to live this life that God has given us. It is God’s gift, so let’s enjoy it, knowing that God will renew our strength again and again.
May you and your family experience the beauty of each day of the new year, acknowledging God’s blessings and offering a portion of them to others!
Happy New Year from all of us at the Conference/Retreat Center!
WE OFFER OUR GRATITUDE!
We often have folks contact us by phone or email asking how they can be a help to us...as a way of showing their gratitude for just being a part of our Conference Center "Family!" First of all, we are always so very grateful for a remembrance in your prayers as that is the best support to us in our ministry. Each day at our Morning Prayer, which we pray in common, we specifically ask God's blessings on our "Benefactors"...those who have gifted us with their presence, their time, their prayers and their treasure. If you would like to become one of our monetary Benefactors, we will gratefully accept a donation in any amount toward our ministry. Checks should be made to IHM Conference Center and sent to Sister Marie Gipprich at the Center. We are most grateful for all that you do for us and continue to ask God's blessings on each one and your special intentions! Thank you!
We often have folks contact us by phone or email asking how they can be a help to us...as a way of showing their gratitude for just being a part of our Conference Center "Family!" First of all, we are always so very grateful for a remembrance in your prayers as that is the best support to us in our ministry. Each day at our Morning Prayer, which we pray in common, we specifically ask God's blessings on our "Benefactors"...those who have gifted us with their presence, their time, their prayers and their treasure. If you would like to become one of our monetary Benefactors, we will gratefully accept a donation in any amount toward our ministry. Checks should be made to IHM Conference Center and sent to Sister Marie Gipprich at the Center. We are most grateful for all that you do for us and continue to ask God's blessings on each one and your special intentions! Thank you!
Please be sure to look for us on Facebook: IHM Conference/Retreat Center in Bryn Mawr, PA...if you like and share our posts, you will be helping to spread the ministry of the Center to others! Thank you!
Also, be sure to check out our new Photo Gallery Pages by clicking here! We are posting, in slideshow format, all the photos we have taken at any event or program hosted here at the Center.
Hopefully, you have seen the news on our Home Page about the available Reflections we offered during the pandemic, via YouTube. Please see our new page, Zoom and YouTube Library, to access these. Simply click the link to view them!
Please remember that you are always in our prayers and we ask a remembrance in yours, as well. Don't forget that you are always welcome to call or email us with any special intentions you wish us to put in our Convent Book of Prayer Intentions! The email address is ihmconferencecenter@gmail.com and our office phone is 610-581-0120.
Hopefully, you have seen the news on our Home Page about the available Reflections we offered during the pandemic, via YouTube. Please see our new page, Zoom and YouTube Library, to access these. Simply click the link to view them!
Please remember that you are always in our prayers and we ask a remembrance in yours, as well. Don't forget that you are always welcome to call or email us with any special intentions you wish us to put in our Convent Book of Prayer Intentions! The email address is ihmconferencecenter@gmail.com and our office phone is 610-581-0120.