Potential Retreat Leaders
Paul Capetz
pastorpaul@christbytheseanb.org
Paul Capetz is the Pastor of Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach (United Methodist). Prior to serving as a minister in the California Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, he taught theology, ethics, and the history of Christianity at seminaries and colleges across the country including United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Macalester College, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and Claremont School of Theology. He has authored three books on theological topics and has been very involved in the struggle of gay and lesbian persons for full equality in the church.
Area of specialization: 1) Renewing Theological Reflection in the Life of the Church, 2) Learning to Listen to the Existential Questions Being Asked by Persons Outside of the Churches, 3) Continual Reformation: What Does It Mean to Be a Protestant Christian Today?, and 4) What Would It Mean to Preach the Gospel as “Good News” to the Marginalized and Oppressed?
Rev. Chamie Delkeskamp
revchamie@mac.com
Chamie Delkeskamp has been a pastor in the United Methodist Church since 1998, serving on a university campus, two local churches, and most recently as the campus pastor at a TK-8th grade school in Thousand Oaks. She has certificates in both spiritual direction and horticultural therapy, so specializes in “soul care” and “soil care” – the wellness of our spirits and bodies. She has a heart for retreat ministries which began when she worked at a camp and retreat center through college and seminary. She has led dozens upon dozens of retreats, including the following:
– Women’s Retreats on various topics
– Family Retreats, providing talks, lessons, and materials for all the various age groups
– Couples Retreats, led with her husband Tim who is also a pastor (note that Pastor Chamie is a trained facilitator of “Relate Strong” for couples)
– Retreats on spiritual formation and contemplative practices, some of which comes out of traveling to old and new monastic communities across the United States, Ireland, England, and France
– Retreats on nature and garden therapy, including day retreats in gardens like Descanso Gardens
– Ministry Leaders and Clergy Retreats – soul care, Sabbath rest, developing a rhythm of life, and biblical team work
– Retreats for parents who have children with chronic health conditions (Pastor Chamie is the mom of a son who has Type 1 Diabetes)
You can learn more at www.pastorchamie.com
Rev. Melinda Teter Dodge
Melinda@BeingtheChurchLB.org
Rev. Melinda leads the Being the Church Movement in Long Beach, California as its Pastor of Community and Connection. She is a creative soul, trusting that God does the needed work through our hearts and hands. Using yoga, art and scripture, Rev. Melinda will create a personalized retreat to meet you (and your group) where you are — bringing what is most needed … rest, reflection, restoration or rejuvenation… or? maybe something else. She resides in Long Beach with her husband, the Rev. Johan Dodge, and two children. In her free time, Pastor Melinda enjoys reading, baking and traveling adventures. And goats.
Areas of specialization in your retreat leadership: Certified yoga teacher with experience in welcoming all bodies and all ages. Families + younger generations; intergenerational discipleship.
Marlene Urban-Funk
marleneurbanfunk@gmail.com
Marlene has been leading retreats for people of all ages for over 30 years. Finding ways to invite people into Sabbath retreat rest is a passion of hers. Stillness, creation and community are needs for so many people, and retreat ministry can meet those needs in such an amazing way! Marlene believes that every person is created to be creative and that we are built for connection. Making space for the holy to move is a primary drive for Marlene when she is organizing and leading retreats.
Areas of specialization:
Mindful Self-Compassion
Sabbath understanding and practice
Creativity and Spirituality
Self-Care
Journaling
Rev. Dr. John Holbert
jholbert@mail.smu.edu
The Rev. Dr. John C Holbert was born in Indiana, raised in Phoenix, AZ, and attended Grinnell College, Perkins School of Theology, and The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU, receiving a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages in 1975. He retired from Perkins School of Theology in 2012 as Lois Craddock Perkins Professor Emeritus of Homiletics. He has authored 11 books and numerous articles in scholarly journals, dealing mainly with the intersection of preaching and the Hebrew Bible. He has preached or taught in over 1000 churches and conferences in 45 states and 20 countries. He has been married to the Rev.Dr. Diana B. Holbert for 53 years; they live now in Los Angeles where their two adult children and their two granddaughters also live.
Areas of specialization: 1) Reading the Ancient Text for Fun and Becoming Thereby a Prophet: How to Study the Bible. 2) A closer look at any one of the following biblical texts: Genesis, Exodus, Amos, Hosea, Job, Ecclesiastes (Koheleth), Jonah, Ruth. 3) Violence in the Bible: How to address the texts that cause such confusion and pain today. 4) How to read the 7 “clobber” texts used to attack LGBTQ+ persons; they do not say what they are commonly thought to say. 5) Reading poetry as a religious practice
Melissa Roux MacKinnon
mmackinnon@calpacumc.org
The Reverend Melissa Roux MacKinnon has bachelor’s degree in psychology. She had a short career working in the mental health field before hearing the call to ordained ministry. She graduated with her Master of Divinity from Duke and was ordained in the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. In 2002 Melissa she returned home to Cal-Pac Conference to serve at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Arcadia, California. In July of 2018, Melissa was appointed as the East District Superintendent in California Pacific Annual Conference. In July of 2021, Melissa was appointed as the North District Superintendent in the California Pacific Annual Conference. She anticipates to be certified as a coach in the spring of 2023.
In addition to her appointments, she has facilitated several spiritual retreats in the area of spiritual practices and how to thrive in the midst of grief.
Rev. Karen Scanlon
kwscanlon@gmail.com
Area of specialization: Susanna Wesley: Our Methodist Influencer
A lifelong Methodist, Karen Scanlon is a freelance writer of student and teacher curriculum, maritime history, and stories of curious and notable people. She is a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church and an active educator and doer-of-whatever-needs-done at St. Mark’s UMC in San Diego. Here she has earned the playful title of Minister of Fun. “Nothing wrong with a bit of silliness,” she’ll tell you. as people of Christian faith, our influence comes from many sources. Some of us remember wiggling in those little wooden chairs in Sunday School, or the sweet spirit of a grandma’s lap. But greater still is the brilliant prayer life of Susanna Wesley, known as the Mother of Methodism. Step back into the 18th century and meet Susanna Wesley, again.
Sample 1 night retreat schedule
Sample 2 night Retreat Schedule