Departments
Women's Retreat | Women's Ministries
Women's & Young Women's Fall Retreat 2026
October 23-25, 2026
Join us for beautiful music, rich inspiration, fellowship, give-aways, and delicious meal. Invite your friends, family neighbors, and co-workers to join for this special time together – hope to see you there!
"Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God."
— Psalm 92:13
Location
Camp MiVoden
Hayden, Idaho
For questions and more information, contact Wendy Urbin at (509) 242-0628 or email wendyu@uccsda.org.
Cost
Early Bird — $160 (Ends 10.8.26)
Late Registration — $170
Young Women (12-16) — $90
Group Rate (10 or more) — $150 (Ends 10.8.26)
Registration for this event is closed.
Schedule of events
Friday Evening, October 23
4:00 p.m.
Check-in/Registration begins
5:15–6:15 p.m.
Supper
6:30–8:30 p.m.
“Flourish? Ha! I’m Barely Surviving!
Recognizing what needs to be surrendered.”
DeeAnn Bragaw
Sabbath Morning, October 24
8:00–9:00 a.m.
Breakfast
9:15–10:15 a.m.
Breakout I
10:30 a.m.
“So, How Do I Flourish?
Understanding what flourishing with Jesus really means.”
DeeAnn Bragaw
12:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00–4:00 p.m.
Free Time
4:15–5:15 p.m.
Breakout II
5:30 p.m.
“But What About the Storms?
Holding on to a faithful God in the dark.”
DeeAnn Bragaw
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Dinner
7:30 p.m.
Evening Activities
Sunday Morning, October 25
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Breakfast
9:15-10:15 a.m.
Breakout III
10:30 a.m.
“Don’t Keep the Flowers to Yourself!
Sharing God’s love and hope — even when life isn’t perfect.”
DeeAnn Bragaw
12:30 p.m.
Lunch
Presentations
Flourish? Ha! I’m Barely Surviving!
DeeAnn Bragaw
Recognizing what needs to be surrendered .
So, How Do I Flourish?
DeeAnn Bragaw
Understanding what flourishing with Jesus really means.
But What About the Storms?
DeeAnn Bragaw
Holding on to a faithful God in the dark.
Don’t Keep the Flowers to Yourself!
DeeAnn Bragaw
Sharing God’s love and hope—even when life isn’t perfect.
Breakout sessions
Where Your Story Meets His
Wendi Smart
Come experience Jesus and see Him more clearly in your everyday. From daaayyyys that don’t go right and you end up in two mismatched right shoes too tired to care —to enormous loss and watching for the moments where Jesus shows up in YOUR everyday life and story. I welcome you to come sit with me, get comfy, share, pray and be inspired to find and recognize Him in your everyday too.
When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan:
Finding a faithful way forward when the story changes
Marilyn Howard
So often, we find ourselves living in the gap between what we thought life would be like and the unexpected. We will explore how we can live faithfully and full of grace in that gap.
Grace for the Place You're In:
Have we made grace too small?
Marilyn Howard
Anchored in the Greek word charis, meaning grace, we will explore grace not only in light of eternity, but as God’s divine influence at work in our everyday lives.
Grace-filled Conversation:
A place to talk honestly, listen deeply and leave with hope
Marilyn Howard
Join us for a warm, unhurried space where women can speak honestly, listen deeply, experience connection, and leave with renewed hope in the active grace of God.
Where Your Story Meets His
Wendi Smart
Come experience Jesus and see Him more clearly in your everyday. From daaayyyys that don’t go right and you end up in two mismatched right shoes too tired to care —to enormous loss and watching for the moments where Jesus shows up in YOUR everyday life and story. I welcome you to come sit with me, get comfy, share, pray and be inspired to find and recognize Him in your everyday too.
The Divine Appointment
Mindy Weber
Have you ever met someone and thought, “that was meant to be!” Listen to how a divine appointment made a difference in my life and how recognizing these special moments can make a difference in your spiritual life too!
Allergies in the Garden of Eden?
Dr. Alma Chavez
Allergies are common, but that doesn't mean we just have to live with them. Since the beginning, God has provided healing nutrients that help us manage disease, including allergies. In this session, we’ll take a brief look at the science behind allergy symptoms and explore how we can support our immune system through simple food choices.
Sleep Is Your Superpower
Dr. Alma Chavez
Sleep isn't just downtime — it's your body's ultimate superpower. If you're tired of tossing and turning, this session is for you. We’ll explore how deeply restorative rest heals your body from the inside out and learn easy, practical strategies to master your sleep hygiene to wake up feeling truly refreshed.
You Can Reach Community Children!
Gayle Haeger
Come experience the joys and challenges of teaching and loving community children with S.T.E.A.M. Ahead (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). We’ll share what and how we are doing it, and how you can do it, too.
From "Should" to "Like"
Faith Christensen
Ever feel like you're supposed to read your Bible, pray, and be "good," but it just feels like homework? Join us for three sessions of games, honest questions, and creative activities as we remember what's actually good about spending time with Jesus.
Watercolor Class
Sherri Codd
Discover the joy of watercolor painting. Learn the simplest way to create a little masterpiece with basic techniques, quality paper, watercolor paints and brushes.
Have fun learning something new or share a talent you already have.
Pumpkin Craft Class
Denise Kinney
This session is making little pumpkins from fabric and a few other things. Come and learn a new craft that you can share with others.
Featuring
Deeann Bragaw — Keynote Speaker
DeeAnn Bragaw serves as director of women’s ministries for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. A fervent champion of prayer, she is passionate about connecting women with Jesus, one another, and their communities. She thrives on creating spaces and resources where those connections can flourish. A Colorado native, DeeAnn loves being outside — hiking, biking, paddleboarding, snowshoeing, and camping with her husband, Paul, and their family.
Wendi Smart — Breakout Speaker
Wendi Smart is a pastor's wife and pastor's daughter who has walked through deep loss and keeps choosing to look up. She currently joins her hubby in ministry serving as a children’s elder at their church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She has a degree in religion from Union College. She has a passion for her family and her Jesus and almost every created creature — and has owned, raised, or rehabbed a loooonnnggg list of them. More than 40 to be exact. Her desire is to help bring others to the heart of Christ with her raw and artistic way of sharing and seeing Him in our everyday.
Dr. Alma Chavez — Breakout Speaker
Alma Chavez chose to be a pediatric pulmonologist as she watched doctors treat her two brothers’ severe asthma growing up. She trained in New Mexico and Arkansas and has been working in Spokane’s Sacred Heart hospital since 2015. The part of her work that she enjoys the most is teaching children and families about lung health and helping them make lifestyle choices that will benefit them their entire life. Outside of work, she enjoys long walks with her husband, volunteering, and being involved in her son’s school.
Marilyn Howard — Breakout Speaker
Marilyn Howard has spent more than three decades as an intensive care nurse and also serves as a chaplain with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department. Through years of walking alongside people in some of life’s most difficult and unexpected places, she has developed a deep passion for honest conversation, practical faith, and helping women discover what it means to live everyday life under the active influence of God’s grace. She is the founder of Places of Grace, a ministry where women are encouraged to encounter God’s grace, grow in their relationship with Christ, explore biblical truth, gain practical wisdom, and discover what following Christ looks like in the real places of everyday life.
Mindy Weber — Breakout Speaker
Mindy is a retired after 30 years as a business owner and physical therapist. Currently, she is president of FoundationONE, an endowment that supports Upper Columbia Academy students. She lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with her husband, Fred, and are members of Summit Northwest Ministries.
Gayle Haeger — Breakout Speaker
Gayle Haeger, a retired high school science teacher, now works in inner-city Spokane with the Better Living Center Food Bank and the after-school S.T.E.A.M. Ahead program for third-graders from nearby public schools.
Faith Christensen — Young Women's Breakout Speaker
Even though she's still a young person herself (haha!), Faith has spent years walking alongside youth and young adults. She has served as a resident assistant at Upper Columbia Academy, a camp counselor for two years at Camp MiVoden, and a girls' dean at Shenandoah Valley Academy, until she recently earned her BSW from Walla Walla University. Today, she works as a housing specialist for youth experiencing homelessness in Spokane, helping young people find stability and hope. Faith is passionate about creating spaces where young women feel seen, valued, and loved by God. When she's not working, you'll find her enjoying time with her husband, her family, and her puppy.
Denise Kinney — Craft Presenter
Denise Kinney has been an employee of Upper Columbia Conference and Camp MiVoden for the past 20 years. Her hobbies include crafts, rock hounding, making jam, cooking, and sewing.
Sherri Codd — Craft presenter
Sherri Codd has been living in Spokane for about 18 years, along with her husband and daughter ( who has recently relocated back to Tennessee), who brought them a wonderful son and their first granddaughter. She loves children, paper crafting, baking, gardening, sewing, skiing, camping, swimming, pets, gathering with family and friends, taking pictures, and decorating anything!
Olga Grigoryan & Tatiana Sirotinskaya — special music
Olga Grigoryan was born and educated in Russia. Music means a lot to her life as she believes that it is one of the ways God communicates with people. She enjoys performing classical and sacred music and also loves to share her knowledge and experience with her students. Olga and her husband have four sons, two daughters-in-law and two grandsons. The family spends time together hiking, discovering new places, cooking, baking, reading, and singing together. Olga's hobby is growing all kinds of flowers and plants.
Tatiana Sirotinskaya was born in Kazakhstan and studied music in both Asia and Russia, earning a master’s degree in music and musical listening. After graduating from Zaoksky Theological Academy, she became an instructor, teaching piano, conducting, and solfeggio. A devoted mother of three, she has led children’s choirs in churches, competitions, and festivals, using music to inspire and uplift. Tatiana moved to the United States three and a half years ago. Above all, she loves Jesus and serves Him through her gifts. Whether teaching or embracing the harmony of nature, she finds His presence in every note.
