SUMMER QUEST
Spend a reflective weekend on the mountain at Camp Mitchell for our annual women's retreat. You are invited to join us for Friday's Quiet Day, Saturday, or the full weekend retreat. Various packages, with or without housing or Quiet Day, are available.
We are absolutely delighted to welcome renowned storyteller Kathy Culmer as our featured speaker for the retreat. Her theme is Recalling Our Stories. Encountering God Through Music, led by the Rev. Teresa Cantrell, priest at St. John's Helena in West Helena, together with the Rev. Joanna Seibert, Ilyse Howard, and the Rev. Joyce Dalton, is our Quiet Day program. Bishop Harmon will be at Camp Mitchell Friday and Saturday, host breakfast on Saturday and celebrate Holy Eucharist with us Saturday morning. We have a full weekend of fun and fellowship planned for you and cannot wait to welcome you to Camp Mitchell. Get with your friends and make your booking early!
RECALLING OUR STORIES
WITH KATHY CULMER
MAY 30 - JUNE 1, 2025
Kathy Culmer is an author, Christian educator, professional storyteller, speaker, teacher, and retreat leader. She is a graduate of Spelman College, the University of South Florida, and United Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Storytelling. Kathy is a member of the Network of Biblical Storytellers, an international organization of people who teach, tell, listen to and promote the telling of the stories of scripture. She has been the featured storyteller for the Network of Biblical Storytellers’ International Festival Gathering as well as for the Canadian Biblical Storytelling Festival. Along with other members of the Network of Biblical Storytellers, International, Kathy travelled to The Gambia in West Africa as part of a biblical storytelling mission trip and participated in a storytelling pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Kathy, who currently serves as Director of Religious Education for St. James Episcopal Church in Houston, TX, has also been a workshop presenter at the National Storytelling Conference, the National Christian Education Conference for the Episcopal Church, National Conference for the Episcopal Church Women, and National Episcopal Youth Event.
Kathy is the editor of a collection of personal narratives called Yes, Jesus Loves Me: 31 Love Stories and On the Wings of Prayer: daily prayers, thoughts and meditations to lift your spirits. She is also author of the 2020 story series for the Episcopal Diocese of Texas: “Moving Forward in Truth: The African American Experience of Episcopalians in the Diocese of Texas.”
Kathy's theme is Recalling Our Stories: Using biblical stories to recall our own faith journeys, to be strengthened and empowered by the remembering and realization of how God has brought us through and will get us to.
QUIET DAY MAY 30:
ENCOUNTERING GOD THROUGH MUSIC
"Bach gave us God's word. Mozart gave us God's laughter. Beethoven gave us God's fire. God gave us Music that we might pray without words." This quote, attributed to an inscription found within an opera house in Germany, illustrates the role that music can have in our prayer lives. Join the Rev. Teresa Cantrell, the Rev. Dr. Joanna Seibert, Ilyse Howard, and the Rev. Joyce Dalton for a day of music inspired soul searching, soul soothing, soul tending, and soul feeding. Through experiences of both listening and active engagement, participants will be offered many opportunities to connect with scripture, pray, encounter God, and experience God's loving presence through the gift of music. No musical experience or background is needed in order to take part.
We are blessed to have Bishop Harmon joining us again on the mountain. He will host "Breakfast with the Bishop" on Saturday morning at 8:30am and then celebrate Eucharist with us at 10am. Depending on his schedule, you may also catch him for a chat or a game of ping pong (start practicing NOW Lol).
Registration Options
Quiet Day - Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Join us for a quiet day of Encountering God Through Music. Lunch is provided.
Cost: $25
Saturday Only (8am-7pm)
Includes three meals and programming.
Cost: $80
Weekend Retreat Options from Friday dinner to Sunday breakfast
Friday morning to Sunday morning with Quiet Day
Pricing includes meals from Friday lunch to Sunday breakfast and housing.
Retreat style accommodations with linens (Canterbury or Hedges House for women with mobility issues): $205
Cabin accommodations without linens*: $165
Friday evening to Sunday morning without Quiet Day
Pricing includes meals from Friday dinner to Sunday breakfast and housing.
Retreat style accommodations with linens (Canterbury or Hedges House for women with mobility issues): $180
Cabin accommodations without linens*: $140
Weekend without Quiet Day and without Accommodations
Includes meals from Friday evening to Sunday morning and all programming: $120
Register early! Block reservations in Log Cabin and Canterbury are possible, in which case we ask that you pay with one check and provide the names of all the attendees in your group. Individuals are still required to fill out the registration form so we have everyone's information.
We are also offering the option to arrive Thursday evening for those attending Quiet Day. Accommodation will be $35 (with linens) and $25 (without linens), and we ask that you please sleep in the room you have reserved for the rest of the weekend. If you are staying in Canterbury for the weekend, please bring your own linens for Thursday night as you will be staying in a cabin. No meals are provided on Thursday.
Cancellations with a full refund are available until May 15. After May 15, a $50 cancellation fee will be charged. Please let us know as soon as you can if your plans change.
Retreat Style Accommodations: Grace (full), Gifts (full), Darragh (full), Canterbury, or Hedges House (reserved for women with limited mobility).
Cabin Accommodations: Seibert, Howe or Log. Pack your own twin size bedding, pillow, and towels for a camp-style stay. Thanks to a generous donor, we are able to offer NEW mattresses to improve your visit.
If you prefer to stay in a hotel, we have reserved a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn in Morrilton. Call 501-215-4924 to reserve a room using the code "ECW." A Double Queen room is $119/night + tax. This special hotel rate expires on May 16 or when the block of rooms is filled.
Scholarships up to $100 are available until May 1 or until all funds are dispersed. Send scholarship requests to Susan Moore, ECW Treasurer. Email susanrmoore1201@gmail.com and reference "Summer Quest" in the email subject.
Summer Quest t-shirts in a soft cotton with unisex cut can be ordered through the registration form at the top of this page for $20 each. If you are not attending Summer Quest and would like a shirt or would like to order more than one shirt, please email arkansasecw@gmail.com. Shirts will be available for pick up at the Summer Quest registration table at Camp Mitchell on May 30 or May 31.
Refunds after May 15 will be subject to a $50 charge.
Registration is confirmed upon receipt of payment which can be made by card or check. Payment must be received by May 15 to reserve your place. Details can be found on registration form.
Retreat Questions?
Contact Summer Quest Organizer: Denise Chai (501) 590-0501, arkansasecw@gmail.com
Payment Questions?
Contact ECW Treasurer: Susan Moore susanrmoore1201@gmail.com
Mailing a Check?
Make it payable to Arkansas ECW and mail it to our ECW Treasurer, Susan Moore, at P.O. Box 120, Heber Springs, AR 72543.
Want to Volunteer at Summer Quest?
Contact Jo Carson jocarson@mac.com by April 1
Want to be a Vendor?
Tell us about your business by emailing arkansasecw@gmail.com
Bring your musical instruments and join our Musical Director in providing music for services and other times throughout the weekend.
SUMMER QUEST AGENDA
Friday, May 31 Quiet Day
9:00 AM - Quiet Day Registration Begins
10:00 AM - Quiet Day Session
12:00 PM - Lunch for Quiet Day Attendees
1:00 PM - Quiet Day Session
4:00 PM - Weekend Registration Begins
5:00 PM - Reception
6:00 PM - Dinner
7:00 PM - Introduction
8:30 PM - Compline
Saturday, June 1
8:00 AM - Registration for Saturday Attendees
8:30 AM - Breakfast with the Bishop
10:00 AM - Eucharist
11:00 AM - Session 1
12:00 PM - Lunch
1:00 PM - Session 2
3:30 PM - Workshop 1
4:15 PM - Workshop 2
5:30 PM - Reception
6:00 PM - Dinner
7:00 PM - Fellowship
Sunday, June 2
8:30 AM - Breakfast
9:30 AM - Eucharist
10:45 AM - Go in Peace!