Almost 150 Diocese of Virginia clergy got away in late April to pour themselves into sensory learning about joyful resistance and belonging—and do some dancing too. The annual clergy retreat was held at Shrine Mont, the bucolic diocesan conference center that just opened its 2025 season.
“I didn’t have expectations to be brought to my knees or the ugly cry,” said Dr. Bertice Berry, an Episcopal deacon based in Savannah who led the retreat.
“The 70s dance party was lit,” she added. “When you see a retired bishop dancing like that was her calling, that was just remarkable.”
“Coming out of Holy Week and Easter, I expect many in this room are exhausted. As I was reminded by a dean a while ago, this time is for y’all. If you want to take a nap, go do it. If you want to take a hike, go do it. Find some time in these next couple of days to receive this gift. I thank God for every single one of you that is here. This retreat is for you.”
~ Bishop Stevenson
Resistance Can Be Like Teflon
Berry gave several talks: Joy as Resistance: From Resistance to Belonging; Changing the Narrative: The Power of Our Stories; and The Joy of Us; What We Know, What We Need. Her delivery was lively and wide-ranging as her personal brand (“Sociologist + Author + Lecturer + Storyteller + Humorist + Deacon”).
In Berry’s interpretation, resistance isn’t only fighting against something; sometimes resistance is refusing to be adversely affected. Joy is a divine force.
“The emphasis is not on what’s wrong, but how can we be part of the answer, God’s answer, to be part of that plan?” she said in an interview shortly after the retreat ended.
In groups of 20, the clergy had 15 minutes to create a play, poem, song or other narrative related to Bible verses that speak to joy. The resulting performances evoked deep emotion. “People openly wept and told how they were set free,” Berry said.
“The theme of joy was perfect, and timely, for the occasion. Dr Berry did an outstanding job, showing how joy can be used as an instrument to advance God’s kingdom here on earth, particularly during trying times. One of the statements that Dr. Berry made was: “The fullness of joy in us is to see God in everyone.” That theme was brought home during her three lectures, and particularly during the closing ceremony, where each priest, deacon and bishop was individually wrapped in a shawl of love. It was perhaps the most personal, and meaningful experiences, I have had on retreat in the Diocese of Virginia, and I am so grateful for this wonderful, Divine gift.”
~ Steve McGehee, St. Matthew’s Church, Richmond
Unconditional Comfort and Love
The retreat wrapped up with a blanketing ceremony for the 120 deacons, bishops and staff led by Tamara F. “Rev Tam” Ravelo, a pastor and Quechan medicine woman. Each received a personalized embroidered covering with the words, “I am loved.”
Blanketing “is an indigenous native American sacramental healing rite like a baptism, and it was otherworldly,” Berry said. “It was like a rebirth.”
The clergy left with this call to action: Be the joy. Be the hope. Shine.
“We are to evolve into this calling always,” said Berry. “We can ask ourselves, ‘What do I know and what does my community need?’ and pursue it. We are not to become what the church is or what we think it was at one time, but to be who we are authentically called to be. If we all do that, we can cover the entire state.”
Be the Candle
Two days before the retreat, Berry preached in Goochland at the ordination of four vocational deacons. The four participated in the blanketing.
Berry also shared a lesson from Shrine Mont to her more than 31,000 followers on Instagram. In the pitch dark of the mountainous Shrine Mont terrain, she turned to her phone for a light to find her way. She discovered that she didn’t need the flashlight app, because the phone screen itself was enough.
“That was enough light, even over the light that I needed,” she said, explaining, “At the darkest, you don’t need a lot of light, and sometimes too much light will blind you. We’re in some times that are dark, and we’re looking for these big light solutions… It just takes a little bit right now, takes a little bit of hope, little bit of joy, little bit of light, little bit of spark, the size of a mustard seed.”
Her conclusion: “It doesn’t take much light, right now; in fact, more light is too much. Be the light. Don’t be the ballpark light. Be the candle.”
“Acknowledging that this year’s retreat was scheduled less than two weeks after Easter Sunday, the Planning Team envisioned a time for rest and renewal for clergy, so all could focus on spiritual growth and development. The Rev. Dr. Bertice Berry was the unanimous choice to facilitate such a retreat. Worship, prayer, laughter, play, and her love of storytelling provided a balm for the soul.”
~ d’Rue Hazel, Canon to the Ordinary
More Clergy Quotes
“The 2025 Clergy Retreat was lovely! It was a nice combination of business, learning, laughter, conversation, play, and spiritual nutrients. Thank you to all who designed it and managed the logistics. Great job!! And thank you for bringing in Dr. Bertice Berry – she was incredible! In a time when stress and the weight of our responsibilities are high, it was nice to step away and breathe with one another.”
~ Katherine Dougherty, All Souls Episcopal Church
“There were two things that stood out from our conversation with Rev. Dr. Berry. One is that belonging is not the same as sameness. It’s when we make the two interchangeable that we lose something important and special about who we are as a Church. On a similar thread, I was filled with such hope and joy about her proclamation that the Church was made for such a time as this. We know what to do. We need to take the risk, the effort, and believe it ourselves.”
~ Angela Lerena, Leeds Church, Markham
“The clergy retreat started at an unexpectedly stressful time in my life as a parish priest. I am particularly thankful that Bertice Berry’s approach that combined humor with earnest spiritual reflection. She also gave concrete ways we can change our approach in ministry, which was refreshing. If things stay abstract, then I feel the whole thing is just a thought experiment and not transformative…
“The best part was being encouraged to find our own way at the retreat. For me, this manifested in off-roading and drinking beer in the woods with a group of friends. The informal and sometimes dramatic setting created fertile ground for sharing our experiences in ministry that left me feeling renewed.”
~ Nicholas Hull, St. Luke’s, Alexandria
Dr. Berry brought such joy, vulnerability, and insight, and the clergy also showed up ready to dance with her energy. We truly laughed, cried, and smiled. I felt like I received a great gift of grace, a blessing that I am carrying with me to share with others.
~ Joe Hensley, St. George’s, Fredericksburg
“Powerful! Best clergy retreat yet! I could listen to Dr Berry’s stories all day! Laughter that fed the soul, fellowship that brought joy to the heart, and transformative blanketing ceremony that fostered healing tears.”
~ Jessica Holthus, St Anne’s, Reston