This past weekend (July 19–20, 2024), I had the pleasure of attending Kristi McLelland’s very first Feast event in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As approximately 800 women entered Wooddale Church on Friday night, there was a noticeable search for healing, rest, transformation, and redemption. Through every conversation between attendees, worship songs led by Laura Cooksey, and teaching from Kristi—the presence of God was evident.
The event began with the amazing Laura Cooksey leading the room in worship. Laura led the room with such grace and humility. The worship sessions led by Laura were filled with a combination of upbeat modern worship songs and classic soulful hymns – both of which continuously pointed the women back to Jesus. To be in the same room with 800 women worshiping the same wonderful Father is an experience like no other.
Kristi’s teaching for the weekend was rooted in Luke 15. Kristi’s love for this passage comes from when she was studying in Israel in 2007. One day, as she was sitting on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, she was taught this passage in its historical, cultural, geographic, and linguistic context. Kristi claimed that this teaching “wonderfully rocked her and opened up a deeper joy, gratitude, wonder, and delight than she had ever known in her walk with the Lord.” Kristi encouraged the women in attendance to feast on this passage along with her and to posture themselves to receive from and say yes to the living God.
Kristi implemented this by “setting the Shabbat table.” In accordance with Jewish tradition, the lighting of the Shabbat candle was done by the mother of the household. As Kristi mentioned, “it takes a woman to bring the light.” Kristi encouraged the women by stating, “you don’t have a more valuable ministry asset than your table.”
One unique aspect that Kristi implemented into her Feast event was the passing of challah bread and figs. Her hope was to create an interactive aspect to her teachings and connect the women in a tangible way.
After each session, the event team and volunteers collected a takeaway card from nearly every attendee. On this takeaway card, the attendee answered a question from Kristi and wrote down one thing she wanted to “take away” from that session. Then, in her hotel room late Friday night, Kristi read every takeaway card from each attendee. On Saturday, Kristi read every takeaway card from Session Two and Session Three, as well. Nearly 2,400 takeaway cards later, Kristi had read and received feedback, prayers, thoughts, and hopes from the women attending.
In partnership with Feast, Compassion International was present all weekend in hopes of gathering sponsors for children worldwide. Compassion works to “break the cycle of poverty by providing access to education, health care, and basic necessities.” The attendees of Feast were blessed by the company of Olive, a young woman who was sponsored as a child. She had the opportunity to share her story and share how sponsorships can save the life of a young child.
Overall, the very first Feast event was a blessing to all those in attendance. This was a weekend filled with community, worship, learning, and dwelling in the presence of God. The soft colors and branding of the event administered a peaceful, restful, and sabbath-like setting. In this unsettled world, Feast was the calm our hearts needed and longed for. I am expectant that God will continue to do amazing things through Kristi, Laura, and the Lifeway Women team.
If you missed Feast Minneapolis, no worries! Kristi, Laura, and the team will be in Yorba Linda, California, on August 16–17, 2024, and Birmingham, Alabama, on September 13–14, 2024.
Learn more!
Check out this photo slideshow for more moments from this Feast event:
And make sure to check out Kristi’s brand new Bible study releasing on August 1, 2024, Luke in the Land! In Luke in the Land, follow Kristi McLelland through Israel as we study snapshots from the Gospel of Luke to see where the stories of the Bible took place. Over 7 sessions, challenge the way you read the accounts of Jesus through teaching videos that take you to locations in Israel like Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, Gethsemane, Jerusalem, and the road to Emmaus. Along the way, you’ll see how Jesus, the Messiah, brought His kingdom to earth for everybody.
ABOUT MAGGIE CASTONGUAY
Maggie Castonguay is the summer intern for the Lifeway Women events team. She is a recent graduate of Liberty University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Religion: NextGen Ministry. She is a native of Northern Maine, where most of her time is spent with her beloved friends and family. Her greatest passion is connecting women of all ages to Jesus and to each other. If you’d like to connect with Maggie, you can find her on Instagram @maggie_castonguay.
