Losing the Familiar: A Weekend Retreat back
April 24 - April 26, 2015
Theme: LOSING THE FAMILIAR. Silent self-criticism occupies a continuous space in our hearts and minds, driven especially by a society that says we are never enough. This habitual disapproval becomes a familiar identity that creates a barrier to deeper union with God. With readings from the artist Mark Rothko, activist Joanna Macy and mystic Theresa of Avila, we’ll rest in our identity as a beloved child of God and devote the weekend to losing the familiar self that curtails our love and robs us of joy.
Leader: Rev. Sarah Anders is a UCC Minister of Faith Formation at Rockville United Church in Rockville, MD. She completed the Shalem Institute’s course Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats in 2007 and is a proponent of mixing up traditional worship with more time outdoors and in silence.
Open Retreat.
Weekend retreats run Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. The silence begins Friday night after dinner when the leader opens the retreat and introduces the theme. The leader usually offers brief reflections with morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends after breakfast Sunday morning with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch and departure.
You must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus in order to attend weekend retreats. We are requiring that masks be worn indoors except when dining or in your personal room.
The cost for weekend retreats is $250. A $100 deposit is required to register. (Let us know if you need financial assistance.) To reserve a space email Nat Reid at office@dayspringretreat.org, or send a check with a note indicating which retreat you wish to register for.
Dinner on Friday at 7 pm is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in between 3:30 and 6:30 pm on Friday. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday. Please plan to stay for the entire retreat.