Wesley All Church Winter Retreat

Wesley, like all churches, is grappling with the challenge of remaining relevant especially to younger generations who may perceive traditional religious institutions as outdated or disconnected. Our All Church Winter Retreat continued the process of rebranding and reimagining Wesley’s image, messaging and outreach efforts.  

At the retreat we affirmed some of the Wesley Tenants: We live out our inclusivity, we take care of each other, we are energized and full of life.  These were lifted up originally at the Town Hall Meeting back in October 8, 2023.  We also affirmed some of the positives of Wesley UMC: we are a strong, dynamic faith community.  Our membership is not declining, it is holding steady.  We are well funded for ministry.  We are located in a community that reflects your rich Japanese heritage.

We affirmed Wesley Core values (also from the Town Hall Meeting): inclusivity, welcoming, reconciling, respect for Japanese heritage, social justice, loving God, loving one another.  And we agreed upon the Goals & Objectives: grow inclusivity, cultivate committed younger community, continue and pass on traditions, ground mission in spiritual context, move from a commuter church to a community church engaged with the neighborhood.

We spent time in small groups and had fun creating commercials for Wesley!  There were some very creative videos made.  The entire day was filled with amazingly positive energy and loads of laughter from everyone.  Our All Church Winter Retreat helped us work toward remaining vibrant, impactful, and responsive in an ever-changing world.