Well, we made it. Another Great Lakes gathering, another year of trying to get sixty-some churches from Michigan, Ohio, and Northern Kentucky all pointed in roughly the same direction at roughly the same time. If you're reading this at Maumee Bay right now, congratulations — you found the lodge, you found your cabin, and you're about to find out what "Dreaming Beyond" actually means, because honestly we're still finding out too.

We didn't set out to be the ones welcoming you. Twenty-some years ago we were pastoring a cessationist church, which for those who don't speak seminary means we were pretty sure the Holy Spirit had clocked out sometime around the book of Acts. Then in 1994 God rather rudely informed Van otherwise, and by 2001 we'd planted Vineyard Northwest and spent the next couple decades getting increasingly comfortable with things we can't fully explain — healing, prophecy, presence-driven worship, and yes, occasionally, letting a room full of pastors have a volleyball playoff, happy hour and a bonfire without adult supervision. We've made our peace with the mystery. We'd encourage you to step out of your box and do the same this weekend.

Here's what we know for sure: this region is full of dynamic young leaders who are hungry, older leaders who still have plenty of fire left, and a whole lot of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in towns you might not have heard of. That's not a throwaway line — we mean it. Every one of your churches, whether you've got twelve people or twelve hundred, is part of what we get to call the Great Lakes Region, and every single time we gather like this, we come away convinced that God is moving in powerful and amazing ways.

So that's the invitation behind "Dreaming Beyond." Not beyond hope, not beyond repair, not beyond whatever mess is currently happening in your church's group chat — beyond what you thought was possible. Beyond the ceiling you've quietly assumed is there. We want you to leave this retreat with your vision stretched a little further than when you arrived, your friendships a little deeper, and your sense of humor fully intact, because Lord knows you'll need it back home.

A few practical notes in the spirit of full disclosure: if the volleyball tournament gets even a little bit out of hand, please remember that Don Milton, not us, is fully responsible for whatever happens on that court.

We love you all. We're genuinely honored to get to lead this region, and even more honored to get to do it alongside every one of you. Let's go dream beyond together.

With all our hearts,
Van & Laurie