Women’s Retreat Planning Timeline – an Overview

18 months before the retreat:

• Establish a Planning Committee
• Saturate the upcoming retreat in prayer – form a Prayer Team
• Contact and contract main speaker(s)
• Reserve a facility
• Pick a theme and theme Bible verse
• Establish a budget

12 months before the retreat:

• Contact Prayer Team to cover the next phases of the retreat planning
• Plan breakout sessions
• Brainstorm after-hours activities and volunteer coverage
• Establish publicity format
• Select members of the Worship Team

6 months before the retreat:

• Contact Prayer Team to cover the next phases of the retreat planning
• Outline the retreat itinerary
• Prepare the brochure
• Corral a decorations team (including banner)
• Explore possible drama and testimony venues
• Pick music for times of worship
• Communicate with facility about more known facility needs

3 months before the retreat:

• Contact Prayer Team to cover the next phases of the retreat planning
• Form an auction committee (to raise scholarship monies), begin collection
• Create a minute-by-minute platform for the retreat
• Begin intensive publicity, do lots of personal invites
• Establish a hospitality committee to pamper your attendees
• Rehearse the Worship Team

1 month before the retreat:

• Cover all aspects of and participants in the retreat with prayer!
• Prepare registration team/folders
• Contact your facility about your facility/group needs, attendance numbers, etc
• Planning Committee checks all bases and trouble-shoots as needed

For more information about planning a Christian women’s retreat, contact Christine Loeber at  or Beth Markworth at