Cultivating Resilience, Harvesting Hope:
a Retreat for Justice Seekers
Saturday, October 24, 2026
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Cost: $85
Gather with us for a day of cultivating resilience in your soul to continue the work of just action.
In partnership with Christians for Peace & Liberation, this retreat is a restorative day intended to meet the needs of anyone who engages with the activities of pursuing peace and liberation for all–from letter-writing to marching, seed-starting to donating, teaching to artistry.
We will gather at Plainsong Farm where we are surrounded by the rhythms of nature, engage (our bodies) in harvesting hope through a variety of spiritual practices together, be nourished by good food and company, and rest in order to build our courage and faith. The day will be gentle–a place to collect yourself in community in a sacred space, to get in touch with what grounds and guides you.
“What a person plants, they will harvest…the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in them, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good”
~ Galatians 6:7-9 (MSG)
Details
Location
6677 12 Mile Rd NE, Rockford, MI 49341
(The website says closed on Saturday, but it is open for this retreat.)
More Information
Lunch is included, provided by New City Neighbors Cafe
The retreat is open to teens and older.
Plan on being outside for most of the time. Terrain is variable and it is a working farm, so please dress accordingly.
If you’d like a financial scholarship, please download this form and email it completed to programs@dominicancenter.com. Register below only AFTER you have received instructions from us. Questions, email programs@dominicancenter.com or call the Dominican Center at 616-514-3325.
Retreat Facilitators
Kimberley Mulder
Spiritual Director, Retreat Leader & Program Assistant
Kimberley is a spiritual director trained at Portland Seminary where she also received her Master’s of Divinity. She leads retreats and programs the Dominican Center and is the Program Assistant there. Kimberley enjoys creating, hosting and facilitating learning experiences that tend souls. Her hope is that all will encounter God and therefore take another step towards their wholeness–to soulful living.
Gail Gunst Heffner
Spiritual Director
Gail received her spiritual director certificate from the Dominican Center in 2016. She is an Emerita faculty member at Calvin University and has a PhD in Urban Studies from MSU. From 2004-2020 Gail served as the Director of Community Engagement at Calvin where she co-founded and co-directed Plaster Creek Stewards, a watershed restoration initiative. Gail enjoys photography, hiking, and spending time with friends and family (especially four little grandchildren) at the Lake Michigan coast.
Emily Ulmer
Co-Director of Plainsong Farm
Emily Ulmer (she/her) is a co-director at Plainsong Farm & Ministry, a companion ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. Plainsong Farm is a regenerative farm, in the Rogue River watershed. Emily’s work at Plainsong weaves together her experience as a worship planner, her passion for young adult discipleship, her commitment to environmental justice, and her background in grassroots community development.
Alaina Dobkowski
Pastor, Grand Rapids Mennonite Fellowship
Alaina is the pastor of Grand Rapids Mennonite Fellowship and an organizer of Christians for Peace & Liberation. She received a Masters of Divinity from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and a Master of Arts in Urban Studies from Eastern University. She cares deeply about following Jesus in the way of peace believing that Jesus came to free all from oppression.
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