Looking forward to seeing you at the Cohort 2 Launch Retreat!
Here is all the information you need to know about the launch retreat for Cohort 2 participants.
Launch Retreat Dates and Times
September 10-13, 2025
Wednesday-Saturday
Daylesford Abbey
Paoli, PA
The Cohort 2 Launch Retreat is scheduled for September 10-13, 2025 (Wednesday through Saturday), at Daylesford Abbey, Paoli, PA
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Attendance at this retreat is required for receiving a grant. Three members of your steering committee, including your pastor, should attend. (Information about agenda is below.)
- It is an in-person retreat. Because of the nature of the retreat it is not possible to arrange for Zoom attendance, and the goals of the retreat include relationship-building among participating churches through highly-interactive sessions and fellowship during down times.
- The retreat expenses of three members from each participating congregation are covered through the Region portion of the grant. Your travel and room and board are covered. See below for more information.
- Daylesford Abbey is a comfortable retreat space with single rooms, shared bathrooms, excellent meeting rooms, and spacious grounds for walking.
Travel Arrangements
For questions about travel arrangements, email Region Administrator Tarra Hartmann
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The Abbey is about 20-30 minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport. It has free parking if you prefer to drive.
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Arrange your travel to arrive Wednesday before 4:00 p.m. and depart Saturday after 9:00 a.m. if possible.
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When you have arranged your travel, send your itinerary/travel plans to Region Administrator Tarra Hartmann.
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Three members of each participating church will have their expenses paid by the Region grant. (It will not come out of the participating church grant.)
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Expenses include:
- If you are flying:​​
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The price of a coach airfare plus one checked bag and/or one carry-on, depending on your airline requirements. (IOW, no reimbursement for both a checked and a carryon if there is a cost for both; please choose one or the other.)
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Mileage or ride fare from your house to the airport
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Airport parking for the duration of the retreat
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Mileage or ride fare from the airport to Daylesford Abbey
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Meals while traveling
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If you are driving:​
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The cost of a rental car (mid-sized or smaller), plus gas and tolls​
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OR mileage at the current IRS reimbursement rate of .70/mile if you drive your own car, plus tolls. (No gas reimbursement if using mileage as that's included in the mileage amount.)
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For either of these, we will reimburse UP TO the cost of a coach airfare.
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Meals while traveling​
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Parking at Daylesford Abbey is free.
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It is simplest if you are able to pay for your tickets on your own credit card and submit for reimbursement. That way, you also get any reward points. We promise to ensure reimbursement is as prompt as is within our control. We can arrange for either bank check or direct deposit for your reimbursement if you are able to provide us with the appropriate information.
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For all expenses, please keep in mind that the grant funding is limited and we want to cover as much as we can for as many as we can, so make reasonable choices. However, we also don't expect you to be uncomfortable or extremely inconvenienced by trying to save a dime. If you have questions about your arrangements, please contact Region Administrator Tarra Hartmann.​
- If you are flying:​​
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Your time at Daylesford Abbey is covered completely by the region grant. We will make all reservations necessary. You will be asked to send Tarra appropriate information when necessary. Please be prompt in your response as she needs to turn in information to Daylesford on certain deadlines.​
Financial Arrangements
For questions about financial arrangements, email Region Administrator Tarra Hartmann
What to Expect at the Retreat
For questions about retreat or program content, email Project Coordinator Dr. Towan Dicks
The Launch Retreat will do exactly as the name suggests: Launch your congregation into its grant work.
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The goals of the retreat are:
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To build community and support among the participating churches
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To review and interpret congregational assessments done in advance
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To select a project and create an action plan to implement upon returning home.
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This will be achieved in the following ways:
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Your steering committee will be sent two assessments to do in advance:
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A survey to send out to your entire congregation​
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A systems assessment to do as a steering committee
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Both of these assessments will be compiled by the Ministry Architects consultants and you will receive the results as a report early in the agenda of the launch retreat. You will be guided through a process to interpret those results to help discern your direction for use of the grant.
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​Your steering committee will also have some light pre-work to do online to allow us to use the retreat time for as much interaction as possible. You will learn about adaptive leadership and how it applies to congregational change, and you will learn how and why communities of practice are a key part of this process. Doing this pre-work in advance allows us to spend time during the retreat discussing its practical application. Links for this pre-work will be made available at the appropriate time.
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You will have time to meet with your assigned coaches during the retreat to assist in your discernment and planning process.
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You will be organized into communities of practice that will continue supporting one another through the grant year.
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You will learn about the grant disbursement process and requirements and be given a grant disbursement form to complete in order to receive your congregational grant after you have attended the retreat.