| why a spiritual
retreat The tradition of making a spiritual retreat
is in every religion. Since the beginning, Christians have
gone into the desert, mountains, and monasteries on retreat
to be sensitive to the presence of God. The first step to
actually make a retreat is to say "no" to the busy-ness
of our daily life and "yes" to ourselves. It is
to slow down and find space for our spiritual self. In the
simplicity of the retreat experience, or through music, prayer,
or bonding in community with other seekers we can find more
of our true spiritual selves. There are worlds and worlds
of God inside of us to discover. This is the peace, the fruit
of the retreat experience. Sacred space, prayer, meditation,
community, song, and nature all support us to affirm once
again the life of our soul. This program will enhance the
faith life of believers who are seeking a deeper meaning to
their faith, or those exploring the true meaning of their
relationship with Jesus Christ.
Is this going to be a lot of
holding hands and singing
Kumbaya?
Um….no. Everyone is required to attend
the opening theme address on Friday night at 7 pm, and the
closing worship service on Sunday morning at 11 am. Other
than that, ALL PROGRAMS ARE OPTIONAL. If you need to take
the entire weekend to rest, relax, read, or walk in the woods,
you are welcome to do so. We do ask that you remain on the
premises, however. After the theme address, an outline of
the various optional programs will be posted. The outline
will clearly indicate if there is singing or speaking of participants
required. Most events are 30 minutes long. Some of the options
will be:
- Teaching of various types of prayer (several options)
- Times of silence and solitude
- Spiritual Journalling
- Celebrate in Song (fabulous music by Linnea Good)
- Full body relaxation and guided imagery
- Small groups (faith questions)
- Healing service; other types of worship experiences
- Using scripture to pray (a way to read the Bible)
- Connecting with nature
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