Ministry Updates
Ministry UpdatesDecember 2024
My heart is full as I just returned from leading the inaugural initial retreat in Eastern Australia. God is using Crucible across cultures, continents and languages. Only half-way through this fiscal year and over 400 have experienced radical grace on an initial retreat. To date, over 7,600 have touched a piece of their shadow and experienced the scandalous grace of God. By the way – Aussie leaders welcome you to come staff any of their retreats!
My heart is also full of gratitude for this season. Reminders everywhere of God’s incredibly generous love for you and me. Gratitude for songs about my Savior being played in secular environments and for the attention given by some who otherwise rarely think about Jesus as this time of year has them in a church service.
This is the time of year I love visiting the post office. So many Redwoods have expressed their generosity through a donation check or online donation. If you are one of them, thank you for investing in this work. If you have not given yet, there are only 10 more days to do it in 2025. Discover more about the impact Crucible is making!
I’m thankful for my brother-in-law, Brandon Brunson, who invited me to my initial retreat. I know you remember who invited you. There is a wonderful feeling that comes over me when someone comes up to me and thanks me for inviting them. I hope you will consider who in your world you could provide the opportunity for our powerful grace experience that you might invite to attend in 2025. You could be the one they always remember invited them.
How will you make 2025 different than 2024? One way would be to come back to staff a retreat. The schedules for Men’s and Women’s retreats are available for you to pick one or two and start planning. You may also be struggling with the same goal for the tenth year. Make 2025 the year you get that goal done! We want to be a resource for you. Engage through one of the 2nd Level Retreats, Coaching, or Groups, and make 2025 the year you get it done.
It is my life’s honor to be a part of this ministry and serve in leadership with an awesome staff team led by a dedicated Board of Directors. I am grateful for the strong, safe and high-quality Retreat and Carpet Leaders. And as expressed in the last newsletter, full of gratitude for those who lead regions and communities. So thankful for those who lead soul work in groups and volunteers who give so much time and energy fighting for the hearts of others they don’t know when they staff a retreat. My heart has deep gratitude as I think about Redwoods I’ve met across the world that are living authentically. And thankful for those who make financial contributions that are necessary to keep this movement going.
On behalf of all who make up this Crucible Community, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Roy Wooten
Ministry Updates
November 2024
I’m checking in grateful. I know that is not a sachet emotion, but it is my heart’s voice today. Perhaps a combination of tender and happy? I hope that this Thanksgiving will be a time of gratitude for you. As has become our custom, I’ve asked a Redwood Pastor to share some thoughts this Thanksgiving. Thanks Tim Rush!
My travel schedule has put me in the front row of the work Redwoods are doing, community by community, across the United States. I’m so grateful for Redwoods who give up so much to serve participants they do not know. Your surrender to God’s will and allowing the process to work results in miracle after miracle and changed lives, marriages, families, churches and communities. Thank you!
I’m especially thankful for Community Leaders who take on a volunteer role that requires time and treasure. Community Leaders are the face of Crucible in each community. I hold you in high regard as the mission does not happen without you. It is your leadership that drives on-going soul work, social connection, and continued growth. Thank you!
I am also grateful for our Retreat and Carpet Leaders, and every Redwood in the Leader Tracks. You maintain the high quality and safety of the radical experiences of honesty and grace on our retreats that God is using so powerfully.
I am thankful for Byron Myers, Lisa Modrzejewski, Brittany Duke and our staff team members who pour into Community Leaders, Retreat and Carpet Leaders, and all of those on the leader tracks. Thank you for supporting Redwoods whose volunteer efforts achieve the mission. Discover how you can support Community and leadership development.
40% of our annual budget is funded by donations. Here near the end of 2024, I pray you will consider how you will invest financially in this ministry. Discover the four priorities for 2025 and how you can join in to make them reality. Learn how your efforts this Giving Tuesday can engage your network to fund the mission in 2025.
I am thankful for each Redwood who is focused on becoming all God called you to be. For Redwoods who reach out and connect with Redwoods they have not heard from in a while. For Redwoods who are meeting regularly in groups, attending 2nd level retreats, or are working with a Crucible coach. Thank you for continuing your journey and for creating the world your heart most wants. Thank you!
I am grateful for God. As Psalm 100 states, “Be thankful to Him and bless His name… He is God. It is He who made us… We are His people… For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His Truth endures to all generations.” Thank you God for using this ministry to your glory.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Roy Wooten
Ministry UpdatesMinistry Updates
I’m checking in from Green Bay where we will host our first ever Elder Retreat. I’m excited about what God is doing through the Elder track. Please keep the staff and participants in your prayers. Want more information about the Elder track? Check in with Dan or Joy.
I enjoyed seeing you at the Annual Meeting. We recorded it and so you can find out what you missed here. Although the Annual Gathering is not settled yet, be watching for a "Save the Date" for Summer 2025!
I’m also checking in tender and happy. It was such a pleasure to meet recently with most of the Kenyan Crucible Leadership as they are in the states serving on retreats. The Kenyan Community is maturing, growing leadership, and planning 2025, including the first Women’s retreat in Kenya.
I’m excited about the upcoming Silent Auction. There is still time to donate items. You can learn more here. I’m also thankful for so many of our leaders. I am so thankful for Byron Myers and Lisa Modrzejewski’s leadership. Find out what is going on in Men’s and Women’s ministries. Byron shares a celebration of the 200th staffing of one of our leaders.
I recently staffed the Men’s Sexuality retreat in Colorado where half of the participants wrestled with God around their survival of sexual abuse. I am so thankful for this unique ministry in such a messy world. God uses Crucible in such a unique way. As we celebrate Veterans Day in just a couple of weeks, you will not want to miss reading this incredible veteran’s story and the unique role Crucible played in their healing.
It is my honor to steward this ministry. So thankful for the great Board of Directors and staff that are thinking long-term about our future. Thankful for the hundreds who volunteer to serve participants on our retreats. Thankful for each of you who financially contribute to sustain the ministry.
With deep gratitude,
Roy Wooten