Most definitions of “retreat” include the concept of drawing back from daily responsibilities. The military defines retreat as moving away from danger. Sometimes our lives are like that; we feel like we are fighting schedules and responsibilities every day. Our minds and souls need rest, and sometimes we just have to schedule it.
With that in mind, the St. Paul Discipleship and Spiritual Formation Team is planning a Fall retreat for Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Mount St. Francis Retreat Center on Spirituality from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is a lovely property, just 15 minutes from downtown Louisville, in Mount St. Francis, IN.
Marilyn Stoner is putting together an agenda to guide us through a gentle day of reflection, discussion, along with creative activities like journaling, drawing, and time for quiet. We will also explore nature as the center includes 400 acres of hiking trails, through trees, over bridges and around lakes. Rev. Dustin Woods and Debbie Wesslund are joining Marilyn in serving as guides for the event.
Our church has held retreats before, and while these events offer time for rest, they also allow us to get to know each other better as we are not focused on achieving any task other than restoration for the days ahead.
We hope it is a time for rest and renewal, letting go of difficulties of the past and embracing the beauty of God’s world and of the life we have been given. As the event gets closer we will provide more details, including plans for lunch and asking for participants to bring snacks to share.
Mark your calendars to attend the retreat. Here’s a link you can use to find out more about the facility – https://mountsaintfrancis.org.
You may sign up now, if you like, using the form below. If you have questions or suggestions regarding the event, feel free to contact Marilyn at marilynstoner@fastmail.fm, Dustin Woods at dustin@stpaulchurchky.org, or Debbie at dwesslund1@icloud.com.