What's Happening

September 2024

Hey Crucible Sisters,

As we step into fall, we’re excited to share what’s been happening in our community this past month. September has been full of amazing moments of connection, growth, and transformation. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to and how you can get involved in the months ahead.

A Global Connection: Perth, Australia

This month, five women from the U.S. traveled to Perth, Australia to help host two powerful retreats— an Initial Weekend and the Unshackled Second-Level Weekend. These women brought their passion and experience to serve the 16 participants and 16 staff for the Initial Weekend, and 14 participants and 10 staff for Unshackled.

The weekends were full of breakthroughs and life-changing moments. Our U.S. team was warmly welcomed by local families in Perth and even got to attend the Homecoming Celebration (Graduation) where the women who completed the weekend shared their experiences of growth, healing, and challenge. It was a privilege to be a part of this global sisterhood.

Get Involved: Staffing and Training Opportunities

We Need You!
If you’ve participated in Unshackled, we’d love for you to staff the upcoming retreat in St. Charles, IL, November 6-9. We have a large group of women eager to experience their own breakthroughs, and we need all the support we can get to help them, especially as a food coordinator and meal prep help! You need not to have attended Unshackled as a participant to serve as in the kitchen. Your presence and experience could make a huge difference.

Apply Here

Training Opportunities

Want to grow your leadership and facilitation skills? Check out these upcoming training opportunities:

Advanced Process Training: Sovereign Quarter
Join Lisa Modrzejewski for an online training that will cover the God-Split, Risk Manager, and What’s at Risk Processes. This training is perfect for those looking to deepen their facilitation skills.
Starting 10/17/24 | Thursdays 8:00-10:00 AM CT
Sign Up Here | Deadline to register: 10/3/24

Introduction to Facilitation Training
Whether you’re just starting or want to strengthen your leadership skills, this in-person training in Baltimore with Byron Myers will equip you with practical tools to lead with confidence.
November 22-23, 2024
Sign Up Here 

Upcoming Retreats: Mark Your Calendar

We’ve got some a lot of retreats coming up, and we’d love for you to be part of them—either as a participant or by encouraging someone else to attend. Here’s what’s coming: 

  • October 6-8 | Initial Weekend in St. Charles, IL – Invite Participants to Join the Register
  • October 13-15 | Initial Weekend in Tulsa, OK – Invite Participants to Register
  • November 7-9 | Unshackled 2nd Level Retreat in St. Charles, IL – Join Waitlist or Apply to Staff
  • February 7-9 | Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register
  • February 14-16 | Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register

Save the Date for 2025

Looking ahead to next year, we have even more opportunities for you to step into your own transformation and help others do the same. Save these dates for upcoming retreats:

  • January 17-19, 2025 | Initial Weekend in Cedar Hill, TX
  • March 28-30, 2025 | Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL
  • April 11-13, 2025 | Initial Weekend in Centennial, WY
  • October 17-19, 2025 | Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL

Stay Connected

As we wrap up September and move into the fall, we’re so thankful for each of you. Whether you’re attending a retreat, staffing, or simply cheering on this community from afar, you’re a valuable part of The Crucible Project. Let’s continue to support each other, grow together, and be open to what God wants to do in our lives.

Thanks for being on this journey with us!

- Lisa Modrzejewski

 

What's Happening

August 2025

This summer, in addition to preparing for the upcoming retreats and scheduling events for next year, Crucible women’s leadership have been focusing on our own personal and spiritual growth.

The Dark Side of Leadership Pilot

Twelve female Crucible leaders participated in a pilot retreat that focuses on identifying and owning the part of us that preys on others and our dark leadership personas. These are some participants’ thoughts post-weekend:

“By examining the sources of my power, I've been able to make conscious choices about how to wield it. Most significantly, I've shed the burden of fear that once held me back, and I now feel liberated and empowered. I'm eager to see the transformative impact this newfound freedom will have on my life and leadership.”

“I looked at parts of me I hadn’t before. [I had] new insights and understandings in a supportive environment.

“This weekend helped me untangle some whys behind my patterns of unhealthy leadership. Getting to work alongside the sisters who accompanied me on this leg of the journey deepened our trust in each other.  I feel confident about what we can accomplish together.”

Over the next several months, this powerhouse team will prepare to bring this retreat to the greater women’s community, hopefully in Summer 2025.

Global Leadership Summit

Several of The Crucible Project employees attended the Global Leadership Summit this month and were inspired by speakers like Craig Groeschel, Joni Eareckson Tada, Amy Edmondson, and Marcus Buckingham. We were challenged to obsess about our calling, focus relentlessly on our purpose, and identify who our legacy is, not what.

We encourage all Christian leaders to engage in personal soul work to allow God to transform us even more into his image and make us safer and trustworthy for his people to follow.

Interesting in Staffing in Kenya?

Join us Monday, August 26 from 9:00-10:00am CT for an informational meeting with our Kenyan sisters! This meeting will include a chance to connect, a time of sharing important planning details, and a Q&A. Mark your calendars and use this link to join the meeting! Passcode to enter meeting (if needed): Kenya2025

Help Wanted

If you have attended Unshackled as a participant, come staff the Unshackled retreat this fall! We have a group of women eager to attend this retreat, and we need all the help we can get to give them an incredible experience! Apply here.

Upcoming Events

Retreats 

*Staff selections have already been made. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Email the office for more information

Save the Date for 2025

  • March 28-30 | Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL
  • May 16-18 | Initial Weekend in Madison, CT
  • October 17-19 | Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL

Groups 

Growth Group 1.0

  • Tuesdays, starting 8/27, 5:00 – 7:00 PM MT | Leader Sandy Corrigan
  • Wednesdays, starting 9/4/24, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET | Leader Nancy Riley

Growth Group 2.0

  • Thursdays, starting 8/22/24, 5:30 – 7:30 PM CT | Leader Colleen Hewitt
  • Tuesdays, starting 8/27, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET | Leader Dawn Aldrich

If you have plans to lead a group, please let us know.

Trainings 

Advanced Process Training – Sovereign Quarter, God-Split, Risk Manager and What’s at Risk Processes | Thursdays, starting 10/17/24, 8:00 – 10:00 AM CT | Online | Leader Lisa Modrzejewski – Enroll (Deadline to register 10/4/24)

 Introduction to Facilitation Training | Friday, November 22 – Saturday November 23, 2024 | In-Person - Baltimore, MD | Leader Byron Myers – Enroll

- Lisa Modrzejewski

 

What's Happening

July 2024

Summer Break Shouldn’t Last Forever

Hopefully, you’ve had time to play and enjoy life with people you love in this season! Where I live in the Midwest USA, it’s the middle of summer, and that means we soak up as much warmth and outdoor fun as possible before the weather shifts to cold. My kids, who are on break from school, are living for water play, sports, sunshine, trips, staying up late and sleeping in – they want all fun and as little work as possible. We need regular play and rest! But if summer break lasted forever, we all know what would happen: chaos would rule, money would run out, everything would fall into disrepair, and everyone would eventually suffer from the imbalance.

Do you allow your inner world to live like it’s always summer break? Boundaries erode, and our thoughts and feelings run wild. One author says it’s like letting rowdy children drive the bus that is our lives. Eventually, an adult needs to take charge and say, “Playtime is over!” At The Crucible Project, we practice the skills necessary to be healthy adults who govern our inner world with compassion and curiosity. Our programs are designed to allow people to explore their inner worlds – their thoughts, feelings, beliefs – while looking to who God is and Jesus’s perfect example to resist the lies that bombard us and help us make choices that bring us closer to God and others. As summer ends, consider for yourself – are you leading yourself and your inner world, or do you let your thoughts, feelings and beliefs drive your life?

What’s Happening

While retreats slow down during the summer months, soul work is still happening. Several soul groups are meeting weekly, and facilitation and group leader training continues. So far this year, eighteen women have completed Crucible’s Introduction to Facilitation. Nine women recently completed the Lover Quarter Advanced Process Training, and eleven men and women will begin studying the Sage Quarter Advanced Process material beginning July 18. Thirteen women continue to meet weekly to practice group leader skills in preparation for leading future soul groups.

Sovereign (King/Queen) Quarter Advanced Process Training begins this fall – enrollment is open for those who have previously completed Introduction to Facilitation Training. Sign up today!

Upcoming Events

Retreats

August 16-18 | Initial Weekend in Madison, CT – Invite Participants to Join Waitlist

September 6-8 | Initial Weekend in Perth, Australia – Invite Participants to Register

September 10-12 | Unshackled 2nd Level in Perth, Australia – Register to Participate

October 6-8 | Initial Weekend in St. Charles, IL – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register

October 13-15 | Initial Weekend in Tulsa, OK – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register

November 7-9 | Unshackled 2nd Level Retreat in St. Charles, IL – Join Waitlist or Apply to Staff

NEW February 7-9 | Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register

NEW February 14-16 | Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register

Groups 

Growth Group 1.0

Wednesdays, starting 8/21/24, 4:00 – 6:00 PM CT | Leaders Colleen Hewitt & Julie Davis. Email Colleen to register.

Wednesdays, starting 9/4/24, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET | Leader Nancy Riley. Email Nancy to register.

Growth Group 2.0

Tuesdays, starting 8/22/24, 5:30 – 7:30 PM CT | Leader Colleen Hewitt. Email Colleen to register.

Tuesdays, starting 8/27/24, 9:00 – 11:00 AM CT | Leader Dawn Aldrich. Email Dawn to register.

Trainings 

Advanced Process Training – Sovereign Quarter, God-Split, Risk Manager and What’s at Risk Processes | Thursdays, starting 10/17/24, 8:00 – 10:00 AM CT | Online | Leader Lisa Modrzejewski – Enroll

SPANISH Introduction to Facilitation Training | Sundays, August 11, 18, 25 & Sep 8, 3:00 – 7:00 PM CT | Online | Leader Chadd Schroeder – Enroll

Introduction to Facilitation Training | Friday, November 22 – Saturday November 23, 2024 | In-Person - Baltimore, MD | Leader Byron Myers – Enroll

- Lisa Modrzejewski

 

Looking for more articles? Check out our "Women's Ministry" Archive!