Our Mission & Goal
for Wellspring
Our mission is to cultivate and create sacred spaces for people to know and encounter God more deeply and live with authentic, sustainable spiritual flourishing.
We envision a world where
spiritual leaders flourish, not burn out.
When leaders experience real connection with God, everything changes. Churches and ministries become healthier. Families are blessed. Communities feel the ripple effect of a life rooted in Christ.
We dream of expanding SoulCARE wherever God would lead us- serving leaders both within and outside of vocational ministry as they discover the abundant life Jesus promised.
Our History
A Journey of Trust, Transformation, and Following the Cloud
1994: Founded as Women at the Well
After decades in ministry, founder Patti Pierce felt the deep ache between knowing about God and truly experiencing Him. She gathered women in her home each week to pray, study Scripture, and explore spiritual formation together. What began as a longing became a calling—and Women at the Well was born.
1996–2005: Rooted and Shaped by Formation
During this foundational period, they moved into their first office at St. Patrick’s Seminary and began offering monthly “Time Out” retreats and mentor trainings. Their leaders were trained under spiritual formation pioneers such as Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and Jan Johnson, received personal spiritual direction that deeply influenced their journeys, and studied the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. They also hosted retreats across California for hundreds of women seeking a deeper life with God.
2006: The Cloud Moves: From Women at the Well to WellSpring
As men began showing up at retreats and expressing a shared hunger, the team discerned a shift. With the support of male leaders and board members, Women at the Well became WellSpring, broadening its reach and creating inclusive spaces for all.
2007–2010: Global Invitations & New Vision
WellSpring began leading retreats internationally for organizations like International Justice Mission (IJM) and Chab Dai. At the same time, a new invitation emerged—from churches and pastors here at home. This opened the door to something brand new.
2010: SoulCARE is Born
With seed funding from generous partners, WellSpring launched SoulCARE, a 9-month spiritual formation journey for pastors and nonprofit leaders. Each cohort includes nine retreats and nine spiritual direction sessions. What began as an experiment quickly became one of the most life-changing offering we’ve ever.
2017: Expanding to Colorado
Denver Seminary leaders reached out—and a partnership formed. After training with the WellSpring team, The Abbey launched its own version of SoulCARE, now known as Praxis, serving over 100 leaders and counting.
2023: New Ground in Southern California
With growing demand and 22 past participants from SoCal, the cloud moved again. A pilot cohort launched in the LA/Orange County region, with 16 pastors and leaders stepping into the SoulCARE journey.
Today: Still Following the Cloud
With over 500 leaders served and more than 300 churches and organizations impacted, WellSpring continues to follow God's lead—dreaming of new regions, expanded support for alumni, and future offerings for marketplace leaders and spiritual seekers.
