‘Finding Joy: Living in the Spirit’ is theme of ‘Ministry on the Move’ for women in four locations
The diocese is providing the speaker, parishes are providing the venues, and everyone present will bring the joy.
Shelly Pichler, founder of the Revive: Strengthening + Healing Souls ministry (strengtheningandhealing.org), will headline four “Ministry on the Move” events for women from Jan. 22-30 in Shelbina, Westphalia, Mexico and Sedalia.
The theme will be “Finding Joy: Living in the Spirit.”
“Join us as Shelly Pichler shares an inspiring message on how the Holy Spirit leads us toward deeper joy, peace and purpose,” said Barb Prasad, diocesan coordinator of Women’s Ministry.
The events will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the following locations:
- Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in St. Mary Church in Shelbina
- Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in St. Joseph Church in Westphalia
- Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in St. Brendan School in Mexico
- Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in St. Patrick Chapel in Sedalia.
All women are invited to any of these events, which are hosted by the individual parishes, with speakers provided by the diocesan Women’s Ministry Office.
Admission is free.
The doors will open at 6 p.m. for each event.
Mrs. Pichler, a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Springfield, promised “a fun, very interactive time together” and an opportunity “to go deeper and recognize how much joy the Lord desires for us, and how we sometimes tend to miss it.”
“If you need to turn up the volume of joy in your life, it will be a great opportunity,” she said.
Participants will reflect on God’s presence in their daily lives and the joy that flows from living in communion with him.
“If we’re not living as people of joy, we can’t fully fulfill God’s plan for our lives, and we certainly can’t fulfill that for our children and the other people in our lives,” said Mrs. Pichler.
She pointed out that Jesus was the most joyful person on the face of the earth.
“Yes, he was the man of sorrows, but truly, so many scriptures point out, he wants to fill us with his joy ‘so that their joy may be complete,” she stated. “Obviously, he wouldn’t give us something that he didn’t have fully and completely within himself.”
Living as people of joy leads to praise, “and that’s the right place for us to be,” she said.
Feeding the soul
Each of the four events will include opportunities for the women to share and draw insights from one another in a structured environment.
“These are good opportunities to put what you’re learning into practice in your life,” said Mrs. Pichler.
Brenda Rehagen, a member of St. Joseph Parish in Westphalia, heard about Mrs. Pichler’s ministry from fellow parishioners who attended several of her events in Springfield.
“They were just blown away and got to know her and got a relationship going,” said Mrs. Rehagen.
St. Joseph Parish invited her to come and lead a day of recollection in October 2024. All were impressed with the message and the messenger.
“You can talk to Shelly for two minutes and feel like you’ve known her through your whole life,” said Mrs. Rehagen. “She’s very warm and has that gift of being a great communicator. She’s one of those people you feel you could tell your deepest, darkest secrets to.”
Mrs. Rehagen spoke of the importance of women of faith “having these times to get together and just enjoy each other’s company and feed the soul.”
“We’re not meant to go through life on our own,” she said. “The older women need to train up the younger women, and younger women were made to be in community.
“As much as we may try to tell ourselves we don’t need other people, whenever we try to do things on our own and figure it out by ourselves, it doesn’t work.”
Sharing stories, both happy and sad, builds everybody up.
“We can all relate in some way or another,” said Mrs. Rehagen. “To know that we’re not the only ones going through a particular struggle, also being able to share your joys and what God has done for you is really powerful. And it’s really needed in this world that tells you that performing and always being on is where it’s at.”
“Where God wants us”
Mrs. Prasad said it’s fun for women of faith from many parishes to get together to share an uplifting day.
“Whether you come alone, bring a friend, or gather a group from your parish, we would be honored to have you with us,” she said.
Mrs. Pichler established Revive: Strengthening + Healing Souls as a way to bring people together for shared healing in the Holy Spirit.
She and her collaborators organize between two and five events each year.
“Our conferences do what the title says: reviving your faith, strengthening and healing your soul,” she said.
They also hold Praise and Revival Worship events every Thursday in Springfield.
“We always want to ask God for this or that, but this is a wonderful opportunity just to praise him,” said Mrs. Pichler.
She said these “Ministry on the Move” events will be an ideal antidote to the post-Christmas blues and the effects of dark and gloomy weather.
“It’s really easy to walk around with our pitcher half-full,” she noted. “And like most of us ladies, we’re always having to pour out for other people, right?
“And so, coming and being filled up, especially at the beginning of the year, so that we can pour out to others, it’s just going to be the right thing,” she said. “And God will continue to bless us and fill us up.”
She insisted that followers of Christ must be people of joy, especially in the face of constant attacks on faith and family life.
“Because when we are people of joy, we can rise above so many circumstances in our lives,” she said. “That just leads us to praise, and that’s right where God wants us to be.”
For more information or to register, visit:
diojeffcity.org/womens-ministry-on-the-move-2026- registration
