Finding Faith ... in a midwinter storytelling retreat with other creatives

MENAHGA, Minn. -- Calling all storytellers and story lovers! 

Faith-inspired artists the Rev. Devlyn Brooks and musician Todd Holdman will co-host a midwinter Storytelling Retreat Friday to Sunday, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, at Pathways’ beautiful and rustic Camp Emmaus in north-central Minnesota.

Do you love to write, create and tell stories? Regardless of your skill level, you are invited to come to the inspiring Northwoods to learn more about the craft of storytelling and to gather with other creative folks who share a similar passion.

The retreat will begin Friday night with dinner, an ice breaker storytelling seminar and a relaxed evening time storytelling session around a warm fire in the main lodge.

Saturday will be packed with storytelling sessions in two tracks: a track focused on storytelling through words and one focused on storytelling through song. After an evening dinner together, the entire group will explore their day’s work through a relaxed music and word jam fest to cap the day. Sunday will feature a final, joint storytelling seminar before brunch is served and the participants bid each other farewell.

For an all-inclusive price of $300, you’ll receive two nights lodging, five meals, snacks and beverages, three days of storytelling seminars and plenty of opportunities to socialize with other passionate and creative storytellers in a supportive and joyous environment. Additionally, your heart will grow knowing that your registrations will help support Pathways’ outdoor ministry mission as well as the presenters’ art endeavors.

The Rev. Devlyn Brooks is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn., since 2017. He founded the blog site findingfaithin.com, where he writes about finding God in the beautiful, everyday cracks of life as well. Additionally, he writes a weekly faith column that appears in more than 35 newspapers, some of which inspired his book, “Finding Faith in Life’s Beautiful Cracks.” He is married to Shelley, and they have four children, with a growing number of “plus ones” they adore: Garrett & Anna, Carter & Sarah, Ava & Hunter and Siri.

Todd Holdman is a husband, father, web developer and manager, among other things, but says that in “his heart of hearts, he is a songwriter and a bit of a mystic.”

“We are light and we are love is my message,” he said, adding that he’s been writing songs and playing in bands for more than 30 years. ”And I love to share that message through my music.” About a decade ago, he said he experienced “a crushing depression” that eventually led him to seek faith-based support and guidance. And once he submitted to the Holy Spirit for assistance, the Spirit-infused art just began to flow. He’s now been doing “inner work" for 10 years and has found some peace in that space.

Camp Emmaus, which is part of Pathways, an outdoors ministry mission headquartered in northern Minnesota, is located just outside of Menahga, Minn. With more than 340 wooded acres, Emmaus offers solitude and lots of space to explore. A network of nearly 10 miles of trails takes the adventurous to every corner of camp. Emmaus surrounds beautiful Lake Morgan.

For more information, you can contact Paige Johnson at Camp Emmaus at 218.227.5107 or at pathways@pathwaysbiblecamp.com. Or you can reach Pastor Brooks, who will be serving as the retreat director at devlynbrooks@gmail.com.