Henrique Gomes
Rebecca Carpenter
Rebecca Carpenter
Fifty-two couples descended upon Nosoca Pines Ranch the weekend of February 11-13, 2022, for the Carolina Conference’s annual marriage retreat, Romance at the Ranch. Attending couples ranged from being married just four months to 67 years. This year’s theme was “Escape to Italy.” Several couples are regular attendees who make Romance at the Ranch a must-attend annual event. One couple shared as they were leaving Sunday morning, “This is our first marriage retreat we have ever attended. We want to do it every year!”
Eli Rojas, D.Min., and his wife, Loida, presented five sessions on having an intentional marriage. Eli Rojas serves as the Chesapeake Conference ministerial director, and also serves on the North American Division Family Ministries Committee. It was a homecoming of sorts as they served several churches in the Carolinas before joining the Chesapeake Conference. The Rojases’ messages were timely and encouraging, and their presentations were fun and engaging. It was a blessed weekend.
On a sad note, Jayme Rouse, the administrative assistant for family ministries in Carolina, announced that this was her last Romance at the Ranch as she is retiring at the end of the year. After teaching in church schools and working in many departments over the years, Rouse has served in the Family Ministries Department for the past eight years. Because of her love for people, her warm personality, her organizational skills, and her natural giftedness at taking a theme idea and transforming the camp cafeteria into a romantic getaway, Rouse will be sorely missed. Eric Bates, D.Min., and his wife, Ann Marie, Carolina Conference family ministries directors, shared with the couples that “a department such as family ministries is only as good as its administrative assistant, and Jayme is the best!”
Just days from this writing, another 42 couples will arrive at Nosoca Pines Ranch for the Spanish language, Hispanic Romance at the Ranch where the Rojases will return for another blessed, rich weekend.
Couples of the Carolinas are already looking forward to 2023’s Romance at the Ranch (English), February 10-12, and (Spanish), February 17-19.
Carolina | April 2022
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