Announcing our Spring 2022 Retreat Dates – Save the dates!

In addition to a confirmation retreat and pastor’s retreat planned in conjunction with teams from the Illinois South Conference, we are happy to be offering the following retreats and opportunities to enjoy DuBois Center this spring. Follow along at our website for more information announced soon!

April 1 – 3, 2022 – Father-Son Retreat

April 9, 2022 and May 15, 2022 – DuBois Center Open House Events

April 15, 2022 – Stations of The Cross at DuBois – Good Friday

April 23, 2022 – Volunteer Workday

April 29 – May 1, 2022 – Women’s Retreat

May 20 – May 22, 2022 – Volunteer Retreat Weekend

We are also finalizing dates for a Spring Horse Retreat, a Green DuBois Stargazing Retreat, and a Green DuBois Nature Photography Retreat. Stay Tuned for more information on all of our exciting spring programming offerings!

DuBois 6.0 Building Faith, Building Capacity, Building For The Next 60 Years

DuBois Center will turn 60 in 2022, marking the year we took ownership of the land. While the first 60 years have been great, she needs some maintenance and expansion to get her ready for the next 60.

This treasure is the heart of the Illinois South Conference, where thousands of campers have experienced God and creation over the past six decades. Some found their calling to ministry there. Others found summer after summer of fun and friendship. Think of the retreats, the worship, the secrets shared and the children’s laughter. So much life has occurred under the rustling leaves at DuBois Center. Now it’s time for us to prepare for the next 60 years, by improving what we have and getting ready for the future.

As of this edition, we have received $6,835 toward the total goal of $225,290. Keep checking this website to see how the thermometer fills up and send your donation to make the improvements possible. It’s our space to bring faith and appreciation of nature to ourselves and the next generations. Here is the information on all areas we will be updating so that you may share with your congregations and friends.

Simba and MangoDuBois Center Logo

Become a Midwife for God’s Work

Over the years, a handful of my ministry mentors have encouraged me to think of doing ministry by becoming a midwife. A very good friend of mine started the course of study to be a midwife recently. I’ve had the privilege of learning from her things about this practice of midwifery, which has been around longer than modern means of assisting childbirth.

As a midwife, you are not the one doing all the work, but rather, you get to play a supporting role in new life that is forming. You get to journey alongside a growing family, support them in the months leading up to delivery, and assist in the delivery of new life into the world. After birth, you get to support new parents. Thinking of our ministries through the lens of midwifery allows us to see the truth: God is already at work everywhere; we are merely bringing God’s work into focus.

Sometimes at DuBois Center, this metaphor is blatant. For example, in August, we welcomed two new barn cats from a local shelter. While we were under the assumption that both had been spayed, it turned out that one of them was pregnant. She gave birth to three kittens at some point in the last two weeks. At first, she did not want to let any of us near her or the kittens. With patience and armed with treats, we have been able to help our new cat mom care for new kittens. In this way, we have become evident midwives to new life. In many ways, this is a metaphor for the work that God is already doing at DuBois Center – I have been surprised by the joy and new life at every corner.

While we gear up for what is next in the form of our capital campaign, DuBois 6.0, and chipping away at tasks for our spring and summer seasons, I hope you will join our ministry to bring God’s ongoing work into focus at DuBois Center. On our website, you can learn more about DuBois 6.0 and the projects we are completing. You can contact either me at director@duboiscenter.org or our program director, Rylee at program@duboiscenter.org for more information on what we are up to and how to be involved on the ground here.

May we all become midwives to the work of God among us.

Blessings, Hayley Elliott, Acting Director of Outdoor Ministry