Are you looking for a community of women to share with and receive wisdom from? Join the Bridging the Gap Women’s Leadership Circle!
This six-week leadership circle will draw from Scripture, modern movement-builders, and our own stories to cultivate grounded presence, relational wisdom, and holy imagination for the work ahead.
You will walk away from this leadership circle:
- Renewed in your calling
- Strengthened in relational leadership
- And equipped to bridge generational gaps
Let’s gain wisdom and insights from other women so we may disciple others, nurture belonging, and co-labor in God’s ongoing work of justice, restoration, and beloved community.
Meet the Facilitators
Renata Ellis
Renata Ellis is a Certified Leadership Coach with an ACC credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), she holds master’s degrees from Rice University and the University of Kansas. Renata is the founder of The Life Room Connection, where she provides coaching and strategic support for women navigating life and leadership transitions, and helps mission-centered teams build capacity. Her coaching and change-management approach is rooted in emotional intelligence and values-based transformation, guiding people from intention to meaningful action. Renata also hosts The Conversation Nook, a monthly virtual gathering where women engage in courageous, candid dialogue across intergenerational experiences to rebuild the relational strength that has long shaped how women lead, thrive, and transform the world together. She and her pastor–professor husband have lived in Canada and too many U.S. states to count—so, she knows a thing or two about transitions and ministry life. In her spare time, Renata likes to write, quilt, and go walking.
Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil
Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil is a published author and ordained minister with the American Baptist Churches, USA. Her bilingual abilities in English and French and cross-cultural lived experiences in several countries in Africa, Europe, and North America offer a sensitive approach to the services she provides to individual clients and organizations through CONNECT-SD, LLC, a coaching and consulting practice she founded. She has graduate degrees from Boston College and Boston University. She is a graduate of the ABC-USA Nehemiah Leadership program. She is a graduate of the Mindfulness Coaching School and is a certified coach through ICF (International Coaching Federation). She completed the Transforming Community Program with the Shalem Institute. Her decades of professional experience in academia, state and grant-funded organizations, and faith-based settings have strengthened her strong community and program development skills. Her leadership presence embraces the core elements of the ministry of presence: to be seen, heard, and honored as God’s beloved.
In a noisy and disconnected world, where do women share and receive wisdom?
The Women’s Leadership Circle is a space for women of all ages and life experiences. Together, we will seek to create a space where we identify the wisdom-keepers among us, from the elders, bridge-builders, aunties, quiet truth tellers, and community organizers.
During these interactive sessions, you can expect to:
- Practice sacred presence and active listening as catalysts for relational leadership, compassionate service, and emotional/spiritual rootedness for long-term impact in community and ministry leadership settings.
- Engage in intergenerational wisdom-sharing to bridge gaps, honor culturally diverse experiences, and build mutual learning across life stages and ministry contexts.
- Discern Spirit-led invitations to courageous belonging, especially when navigating tender, difficult, or cross-cultural conversations in ministry and community leadership.
- Translate relational insight into community action, understanding how attentive presence and shared stories fuel systems change, advocacy, and collective empowerment for peace-building goals to be achieved.
Don’t miss this space to build relationships, learn from one another, and gain wisdom to share with your community.
Women’s Leadership Circle Schedule
FAQs
What are the classes about?
Session #1: The Calling of Women to Transform Community through Presence, Courage and Storytelling
Focus Practices: Sacred presence, listening to the Spirit, honoring personal + communal calling
Session #2: The Circle Around You: Define your circle
Focus Practices: Naming lineage, mentors, aunties, peers, emerging voices
Session #3: The Power of a Collective: Cultivating Responsive Community
Focus Practice: Responsive leadership and community discernment (no silos)
Session #4: Lessons from Biblical and Contemporary Elders
Focus Practice: Translate wisdom into grace-filled, truth-telling insights for faithful discipleship, advocacy, and communal action
Session #5: Holy Candid and Courageous Conversations
Focus Practice: Navigating tension, cross-cultural, and cross-experience dialogue
Session #6: Reflection to Liberation
Focus Practice: Lessons Learned for Next Steps, Legacy and Communal Affirmations
Who can register?
This cohort is open to people identifying as women.
Is there a cost to the leadership circle?
The Women’s Leadership Circle is $250 to CCDA members and $300 for non-members.
Where does the leadership circle meet?
The leadership circle will meet virtually on Zoom.
How many participants will be accepted?
The leadership circle has a maximum of 24 participants.
Will this be recorded?
This circle will not be recorded.
