Retreat Archive

Theme:  Meditation for the Heart, Mind and Soul from the Jewish Tradition.  We will explore teachings from the Kabbalah and Hassidic traditions to guide us through a day of reflection, a-tune-ment, and transformation.

Leader:  Rabbi David Shneyer is the director of the Am Kolel Sanctuary Retreat and Renewal Center in Darnestown, Maryland.  Rabbi David received his ordination from the Aleph Seminary founded by Reb Zalman Schacter-Shlomi.  A member of Rabbis for Human Rights, he is also a liturgist, cantor, and composer.

General Information: Meet at the Lodge.  A simple vegetarian meal will be provided. Please call or e-mail to make a reservation. No cost, donations welcome.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-4 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

Theme:  EMBODYING COMPASSION.  During this time, we will be attentive to our bodies—our moving, breathing, sitting, eating and being.  We will take time to become aware of our connection with all of life and to allow compassion to flow within and through us and out to all the world, particularly that which is broken and suffering.

Leader:  Patience Robbins is a spiritual director, retreat leader, a member of the associate staff of Shalem Institute and the author of Parenting: A Sacred Path.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Theme:  The afternoon program will include a talk on the Buddhist practice of mindfulness and how it can help us alleviate stress and tension, and cultivate joy and inner peace. The leader will then lead a guided 30-minute mindfulness meditation, which will be followed by time for personal meditation practice (walking and sitting).  We will close with a time of sharing and a brief period for questions and discussion.
Leader: Hugh Byrne, PhD is a senior teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW).  He is a co-founder of the Washington Buddhist Peace Fellowship and the Mindfulness Training Institute of Washington. He teaches classes on Buddhism and meditation for the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program and leads weekly classes in Washington, DC.

General Information: Meet at the Lodge.  A simple vegetarian meal will be provided. Please call or e-mail to make a reservation. No cost, donations welcome.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

Theme: THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST IN US.  Jesus said to his disciples, “Make your home in me as I make my home in you.”  In this statement and other passages from the gospel of John, Jesus makes his intention for his followers clear.  We are called to receive Christ inwardly and surrender to the mystery of Christ’s life flowing through us.  In silent community we will draw upon John’s gospel as we open ourselves to this most precious gift and allow ourselves to be nurtured in it.

Leader:  Sydney Johnson, long-time member of The Church of the Saviour, most recently has been serving as pastor of Friends of Jesus Church and Board Chair of the Festival Center. 

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Reviving the ancient Christian tradition of quarterly Ember Days, these day retreats offer time, silence, beauty and Sabbath rest for the weary. Each Ember Day retreat will center around a theme suggested by the season of the Earth, and the season of the church—Advent, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Through guided reflections on our theme, as well as time for walking, journaling, art and prayer, a spaciousness of heart can begin to heal the pressed and hurried character of our days. So come away for a time, and to a place set apart, and let the fire of the Divine Love within you be rekindled and renewed. 10-4 at the Lodge. Reservations not necesary. Donations welcome. Please bring a bag lunch.

Leader: Cheryl Hellner, poet and teacher, member of the Earth Ministry mission group of Dayspring Church.

GRATITUDE.  Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5.18) The implication of this oft quoted scripture is that gratitude is not so much something expected of us as something the Divine One wants for us. Similarly, it is not for everything that gratitude is encouraged, but rather in all circumstances.  Through story telling, some optional prayer practices, worship, and silence this retreat will offer opportunity to experience the wisdom of this scripture and how gratitude can be a sustaining grace when things are and are not going well. Leader:  Karen Johnson, whose primary vocation is spiritual direction, will be the leader of the retreat. She has been a participant in the Dayspring community since 1993 and an Episcopal priest since 1981.

For Dayspring Church.  Others welcome as space permits. 

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Theme to be announced.  Leader: Carol Martin, a member of Lazarus Church, works with children at Jubilee Youth Services, a ministry of Jubilee Housing.   She is the former director of Dayspring Retreat Center.

For Jubilee Church.  Others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

A member of Eighth Day will lead an introductory meditation on Friday night.  There will be morning and evening prayers on Saturday, and a time of sharing and worship Sunday morning will end the silence.

For Eighth Day, others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Theme: At Play in the Fields of the Lord: She Told Us To!

Leader: Emmy Lu Daly is an Advocate for L'Arche and long-time member of the Kerygma Drama Group.  For information visit www.seekerschurch.org.  For Seekers Church.  Others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please contact Seekers Church directly through their web site, www.seekerschurch.org.  

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

This silent retreat will be leaderless.  For Friends of Jesus Church.  Others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Barbara Moore will lead on the theme of Living In the Power of Jesus' Death and Resurection.  She has been a member of the Church of the Saviour since 1970 and is currently a member of Friends of Jesus Church.  She worked for many years with Good Shepherd Ministries and now works with Jubilee Housing, mainly teaching—her first love. Her main longing these days is deeper surrender.  For New Community Church.  Others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-4 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

Through song and silence, shared meals and walking meditation, we journey together to discover the sources of peace. Music includes original chants and songs, Taize chants and Celtic melodies.

Leader: Stefan Andre Waligur is a contemplative musician/composer, retreat leader, and peace activist connected for many years with the Church of the Saviour in Washington DC. He has been closely connected to Taize and Plum Village in France and has served as Liturgical Musician for the Church of the Saviour, chaplain at American University, and adjunct faculty at Memphis Theological Seminary.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Theme:  We will briefly reflect on some essential elements of Hindu tradition, which nurtures a relaxed attitude to dogma, an emphasis on a living faith and respect for other religious traditions.  As one who has found a lifelong and seamless passage from this Hindu tradition to the faith and practice of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Amit Pandya will share some reflections on the common elements of the Christian and Hindu ways. We will share some readings that participants may or may not choose to use to guide the subsequent silent reflection until we reconvene.

Leader: Amit Pandya runs a US government funded research project on Arab, African and Asian approaches to the emerging environmental, economic, social and political threats of the 21st century. He is a lawyer by profession, and formerly a teacher and ethnographer. He has served as Hindu, Quaker and non-denominational chaplain at American University.

General Information: Meet at the Lodge.  A simple vegetarian meal will be provided. Please call or e-mail to make a reservation. No cost, donations welcome.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

After an introductory meditation which will be led by a member of the church, the Great Silence will begin.  There will be a few brief readings, but otherwise the silence will not be broken until Sunday morning at 10:00, when we will gather for sharing and worship.For Festival Church.  Others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

This silent weekend retreat will be led by Becca Stelle, a Donkey (member/minister) in the Church of Christ, Right Now.  Formerly a Lutheran minister, Becca founded and now directs Becoming Church, Inc., which draws on the spiritual leadership of the disinherited to start new churches in the tradition of the Church of the Saviour.  For members of The Church of Christ, Right Now and the Spiritual Support Groups.  Others welcome as space permits.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

Reviving the ancient Christian tradition of quarterly Ember Days, these day retreats offer time, silence, beauty and Sabbath rest for the weary. Each Ember Day retreat will center around a theme suggested by the season of the Earth, and the season of the church—Advent, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Through guided reflections on our theme, as well as time for walking, journaling, art and prayer, a spaciousness of heart can begin to heal the pressed and hurried character of our days. So come away for a time, and to a place set apart, and let the fire of the Divine Love within you be rekindled and renewed. 10-4 at the Lodge. Reservations not necesary. Donations welcome. Please bring a bag lunch.

Leader: Cheryl Hellner, poet and teacher, member of the Earth Ministry mission group of Dayspring Church.

Quiet Days offer time to be in silence in community, a sacred space for opeing to the Spirit.  A leader will begin the retreat with a brief sharing leading into the silence.  You are welcome to sit by the fire in the Lodge or on the front porch overlooking the meadows, to wander the land and to walk the labyrinth--to be profoundly present in whatever way you are led.  10-2 at the Lodge.  Reservations not necesary; no cost, donations welcome.  Please bring a bag lunch.

Winter invites us to experience the barren places in our soul and rest in God, letting the seeds of new life gather energy under the surface. I will be offering some thoughts from my new book, Creative Aging, as a way to explore seeds of new life that may be forming in the darkness. 

Leader: Marjory Bankson is the author of Call to the Soul and Seasons of Friendship. Her new book, Creative Aging: Rethinking Retirement and Non-retirement in a Changing World will be published in March.  An artist and seasoned spiritual guide, she is a Steward of Seekers Church.

General Information: 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 meditations and morning and evening prayers on Saturday. The silence ends late-morning Sunday with a time of sharing and worship, followed by lunch, the departure meal.

The cost for weekend retreats is $180. To reserve a space, please send a $90 deposit with an application you can print from the application page.

Dinner on Friday at is at 7 pm and is the first official gathering. You are welcome to arrive and settle in any time after 4 pm on Friday; we recommend you arrive no later than 6:30. The retreat will end by 2 pm on Sunday.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

After the introductory meditation on Friday evening, we will enter the Great Silence, which will not be broken until Sunday morning at 10:00.

Leader: Potter’s House Church membership.
For Potter’s House Church. Others welcome as space permits.

"Light your candles quietly, such candles as you possess, wherever you are."  Father Alfred Delp  Through meditations, prayer and abiding in the silence, we will awaken and prepare for Advent, literally "arrival."

Leader: Kim Montroll has led many retreats at Dayspring and elsewhere over the years.  She facilitates trips of perspective to Haiti in conjunction with the Faith and Money Network (formerly Ministry of Money) and works locally with the new Adams Morgan Youth Leadership Acadamy.  Kim is committed to inward and outward practices that foster oneness.  Open Weekend Retreat.

After an introductory meditation which will be led by a member of the church, the Great Silence will begin. The silence will not be broken until Sunday morning when we will gather for sharing and worship.
For Festival Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

RADICAL OPTIMISM: ROOTING OURSELVES IN REALITY is the title of a book by Christian philosopher Beatrice Bruteau. In these hours of silence, we will have the opportunity to touch deep roots in our own experience of the reality of the Divine. That connection can lead us to a vibrant hope in the midst of life's challenges.

Leader: Myra Flood, now living in the Ozarks; former administrator of Wellspring Conference Center at Dayspring.
For Dayspring Church. Others welcome as space permits.

(This is a special one night retreat, Friday to Saturday, ending after dinner on Saturday.) “In the stillness of the quiet, if we listen, we can hear the whisper of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair” (Howard Thurman). This retreat will offer a simple, gentle rhythm of time for refreshment in the sacred dimensions of spiritual community and solitude. We will hold the intent of discovery as primary, exploring practices for opening to receive the unexpected gifts of our whispering hearts, for coming home to our deepest truth.
If this is your first silent retreat, or if you have held this as a cherished practice for a long time, you are welcome. Whatever your faith tradition, you are welcome. Come, discover the rest and renewal of retreat through the peaceful rhythm of guided meditations, music, silence, and shared meals.  Cost is $120; please send $60 deposit.

Leader: Ann Dean is a long-time spiritual director and leader of multifaith groups and retreats. She is a member of the Retreat Mission Group and a Program Director at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.
Open Retreat

Theme: HINENI: THE ART OF RADICAL PRESENCE… where Jewish prayer and meditation meet. Hineni, the Hebrew word meaning “Here I am”, is a simple and profound statement which offers a foundation for the practice of living into our lives. In an afternoon of Jewish chanting, shared reflection, experiential practice and silent meditation, we will explore simple Jewish tools of prayer and spiritual development for radical presence and living fully into our bodies, our visions and each moment of our lives.

Leader: Holly Taya Shere is a folklorist, ritual artist and educator on women's spirituality and Renewal Judaism. She co-founded and co-directs Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute and holds the rabbinic pulpit at Olney Kehila Jewish Congregation, where she serves as Spiritual Leader.

Reisterstown United Methodist Church will be hosting a silent weekend retreat.  Spaces are still available.  For pricing, information or registration please contact Ann Harden by e-mail at aharden@runbox.com or by phone at 410-876-3871. 

Leader: Allen Goetcheus, pastor, Christ House Church; president,
Columbia Road Health Services and Christ House.
For residents of Christ House.

In the season of diminished daylight and gathering breezes, of last gasps of color and falling leaves, we are gently nudged spiritually to come inside a while, rest, and be attentive anew to the Light in the Darkness. We are invited by God to find our way again to that which grounds, nurtures, and sustains us, to sit by the purifying fire, and to allow ourselves to be seen and to see with a loving gaze.

Leader: Trish Stefanik is a contemplative artist, retreat leader, and resident of Rolling Ridge Study Retreat. She is a Catholic laywoman who seeks to call attention to the wisdom of the natural wilderness and the joy of the spiritual life.
Open Retreat

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Leader: Bruce Birch, Dean and Professor at Wesley Seminary, author and long-time friend of the Church of the Saviour. 

Theme: ENGAGED BUDDHISM. Meditation practice is often misunderstood as a “disengagement” from life. However, quite the reverse is true: the way to dissolve our resistance is to meet it face to face. Engaged Buddhism, a term coined by Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, refers to the social application of Buddhist teachings, as they bring us into responsible relationship with the world around us. This day we will explore the connection between individual practice and the alleviation of suffering for all beings.

Leader: Luisa Montero has led retreats and a weekly meditation class for the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. Luisa is currently the Managing Director of the Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers.

For information about the theme and leader visit www.seekerschurch.org.
For Seekers Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

For this Day Retreat a leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-4 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

A leader deeply versed in Native American tradition will lead a silent day focused on Native American wisdom, connection to the land and the honoring of Mother Earth. 

That which we so deeply desire is already ours. God lives in us. What has happened to us that prevents us from experiencing and sharing this reality? God chose to create each of us for the purpose of sharing love with all. How can we do that? Brother Francis will share from his heart some prerequisites for love, the method he uses to share that love, what love requires and what are blocks it..

Leader: Brother Francis Delvaux is a Holy Cross Brother who has been a friend of Church of the Savior for seventeen years. His present call is to be a job counselor with Jubilee Jobs. His mission is to honor all persons with love.
Open Retreat.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Many of us find that to be in the world but not of it can spawn an isolating loneliness. In such a condition, the prospect of silent retreat may be off putting since the world would have us believe its quiet and solitude aggravate feelings of separateness. But the reality is they are a blessed opportunity to come home to our souls where belonging and communion await. This retreat will draw on the wisdom of John O’Donohue, Meister Eckhart, Caroline Myss and others to welcome us into that sacred realm of quiet and solitude.

Leader: Karen Johnson, whose primary vocation is spiritual direction, will be the leader of the retreat. She has been a participant in the Dayspring community since 1993 and an Episcopal priest since 1981.
Open Retreat.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme to be announced.

Leader: Sr. Marcella Jordan, SND de Namur, pastoral assistant.
For residents of Christ House.

This retreat will be led by a member of the church.
For Friends of Jesus Church. Others welcome as space permits.

We will pray, listen and open to places of gift and blockage as we discover our Oneness in God, one another and our global family.

Leader: Kim Montroll is helping form emerging Sabbath Economics groups, and travels back and forth to Haiti.
For Jubilee Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: HEART MEDITATION—GATEWAY TO THE INVISIBLE WORLD. When awakened, the interior world serves as the solid and unswerving foundation to experience life from a dimension of abundance rather than of scarcity. This is the dimension that has been alluded to as the “Promised Land” and the “Heavenly Kingdom”. Living life from the heart allows us to let go of our base instincts and experience our divine reality. Through sacred chants and watchfulness of the breath, we are invited to enter the heart.

Leader: Avideh Shashaani is a poet with a Ph.D. in Sufi studies who has taught Sufi meditation since 1983. She is the founder and president of the Fund for the Future of our Children, a nonprofit that supports young people to be agents of peace in local and global environments.

Mindful of Jesus' words, "unless you change and become like little children...", this retreat offers a window on our early, and sometimes fleeting, experiences of what scripture describes as the Kingdom of Heaven. Others have termed this state of being the Eternal Now -- and suggested that Child-Mind is the route to all that is most animating and sustaining. We spend long hours wondering what, or where, the Kingdom of Heaven is, but perhaps, as children, we have already been there!

Leader: Merrill Ware Carrington, M. Div. is a writer, spiritual companion, and retreat leader. An Episcopal laywoman, she is the mother of two grown sons.
Open Retreat

A member of Eighth Day will lead an introductory meditation on Friday night. There will be morning and evening prayers on Saturday, and a time of sharing and worship on Sunday morning.

For Eighth Day Faith Community. Others welcome as space permits.

For information about the theme and leader visit www.seekerschurch.org.
For Seekers Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

The Lodge will be open for silence and solitude. Contact the office to make reservations if you with to stay overnight. You are welcome to bring your own food and use our kitchen. There will be a Good Friday retreat (bring your own lunch) from 10 to 4 on April 10.

Leader: Fred Taylor served as Executive Director of For Love of Children (FLOC) for 37 years until his retirement in 2003. He has also served as a pastor and work counselor and is currently active as a retreat leader, Bible teacher, preacher, and consultant.

At New Community we say, “We are all in recovery from something and ultimately dependent on the power that raised Jesus from the dead for our recovery and healing.” New Community is a “Resurrection and Recovery Church”. Our time on silent retreat at Dayspring is one aspect of our recovery process and of our openness to the presence and power of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus.

Leader: To be announced.
For New Community Church. Others welcome as space permits.

Theme: KALI’S GIFTS. How are love, fear, strength, hate and death connected? How do Hindus understand these issues as part of the whole, part of life? We will live into these questions with the Goddess Kali, celebrate her gracious and at times unwelcome gifts, and perform a Pooja in her honor.

Leader: Madhumita Chattopadhya, grew up in India steeped in a Hindu ethos grounded in both/and, rather than either/or. Raised in a diverse family she is Harvard graduate and world traveler and embraces the multiplicity of life.

"Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself" (The Gospel According To Zen). This silent retreat offers the time to sit quietly and do nothing, simply appreciating the signs of new life in us and around us. From this perspective some may choose to deal creatively with the question the poet Mary Oliver puts to us: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” The retreat will follow the same rhythm of other silent retreats and will also include optional times zen meditation.

Leader: Rose Mary Dougherty, SSND has been engaged in contemplative spirituality for over thirty years, especially through her ministry at Shalem Institute. Currently she companions the dying and offers retreats and workshops for hospice care givers. As a sensei (teacher) in the White Plum Asanga, she teacher for the One Heart Sangha in Silver Spring.
Open Retreat.

Leader: Amelia Harris is co-founder of Newborn Community of Faith and co-founder of Newborn Ministries/Martha's House in the Sandtown neighborhood of Baltimore.
For The Church of Christ, Right Now and the Spiritual Support Groups.
Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

After an introductory meditation which will be led by a member of the church, the Great Silence will begin. The silence will not be broken until Sunday morning at 10:00, when we will gather for sharing and worship.
For Festival Church. Others welcome as space permits.

After an introductory meditation on Friday night the silence will not be broken until a time of sharing and worship on Sunday morning.

Leader: Billy Hart is a founding member of Lazarus Church.
For Lazarus Church. Others welcome as space permits.

On this winter weekend we’ll have time in the silence to reflect on how God is calling us into the future. In Life of the Beloved Henry Nouwen reminds us that we are already beloved: “Being the Beloved is the origin and the fulfillment of the life of the Spirit.” The path to knowing more deeply that we are God’s beloved leads us to confront ourselves in the warm light of God’s love. We will reflect on Nouwen’s meditation on Communion bread – Taken, Blessed, Broken and Shared—and consider where we are in this journey.

Leader: Peter Bankson is a Steward of Seekers Church and part of the Servant Leadership Team. He helps lead an annual pilgrimage to Guatemala, is a spiritual director and is part of the teaching team for the Course on Spiritual Companionship sponsored by the Washington National Cathedral.

Open Retreat

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation
leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.  10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There is no charge, although donations are welcome. No reservations are needed.
Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. (unless otherwise noted) There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

After the introductory meditation on Friday evening, we will enter the Great Silence, which will not be broken until Sunday morning at 10:00.

Leader: Potter's House Church membership.

For Potter's House Church. Others welcome as space permits.

Reviving the ancient Christian tradition of quarterly Ember Days, these day retreats offer time, silence, beauty and Sabbath rest for the weary. Each Ember Day retreat will center around a theme suggested by the season of the Earth, and the season of the church-Advent, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Through guided reflections on our theme, as well as time for walking, journaling, art and prayer, a spaciousness of heart can begin to heal the pressed and hurried character of our days. So come away for a time, and to a place set apart, and let the fire of the Divine Love within you be rekindled and renewed. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No reservations, no charge. Donations welcome. Bring lunch and come to the Lodge.
Leader: Cheryl Hellner, poet and teacher, member of the Earth Ministry mission group of Dayspring Church.

Theme: ENCIRCLING THE WORLD WITH COMPASSION AND LOVE. Meister Eckhart wrote: "We are each meant to be mothers of God." During this sacred season of Advent, we remember and celebrate the birthing of Christ. In community, we will listen for how we are invited to give birth to compassion and love in ever new ways even as we weave a prayer of healing, love and peace for our broken and hurting world.

Leader: Patience Robbins is a spiritual director and Director of the Personal Spiritual Deepening Program at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.

Open Retreat

After an introductory meditation, led by a member of the church, the Great Silence will begin. The silence will not be broken until Sunday morning when we will gather for sharing and worship.

For Festival Church. Others welcome as space permits.

Theme to be announced.

Leader: Allen Goetcheus, pastor, Christ House Church; president, Columbia Road Health Services and Christ House.

For residents of Christ House.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: "I am a hidden treasure, wishing to be known." This day we will attend to the above theme with tajali, inquiry. Practicing healing attention, we bring love, compassion, allowing, and innocence to the present moment. Thus we will notice changes in any of the five domains: the physical, mental, emotional, moral, and spiritual.

Leader: Ramana Smallen is a senior teacher in the Sufi Order International, and the Sufi Healing Order. He is co-leader in the Ishk Center in Silver Spring, a center for the study of the inner life as explored with Sufi teachings.

Theme: WHEN AUTUMN COMES-THE ART OF LETTING GO. Falling leaves and whirling seeds mark the season of release, of harvest and pruning. Our spiritual lives also move through seasons of ending and release. The land and living things at Dayspring will invite us to leave our "many things" and trust the bare bones of God's love.

Leader: Marjory Zoet Bankson is an author, artist, relational teacher and a long-time Steward of Seekers Church.

Open Retreat

Theme: INVITATION INTO DIVINE LOVE. After an introductory meditation on Friday night the silence will not be broken until a time of sharing and worship on Sunday morning.

Leader: Killian Noe is co-founder of Samaritan Inns, a ministry in Washington, DC, New Creation Community (in the tradition of Church of the Saviour) in Seattle, and Recovery Café, a center for men and women recovering from homelessness and various addictions, also in Seattle.

For Lazarus Church. Others welcome as space permits.

Theme: GATHERING RESOURCES FOR THE JOURNEY: the confidence that comes from faith; the energy that comes with hope; the power of surrender that goes with love of God and neighbor.

Leader: Fred Taylor served as Executive Director of For Love of Children (FLOC) for 37 years until his retirement in 2003. He has also served as a pastor and work counselor and is currently active as a retreat leader, Bible teacher, preacher, and consultant. He is a part of Eighth Day Faith Community.

Open Retreat

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: "Plants were here way before the five-finger people. They know you, have a relationship with you. It's a sense of recognizing the plants, the animals, the insects, as beings." We will spend the day together, on the land, by the ponds, the creek, sitting by the fire and around the dinner table. And we shall listen to the land and the creatures.

Leader: Donna House, an ethno botanist, grew up on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. She served as landscape architect for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. She bridges the gap between the native world view-in which human beings and nature are interrelated, and all plants, animals and mountains are sacred-and the scientific perspective of her training as an environmental scientist.

Theme: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN YOU...who, trudging through the plains of misery, find in them an unexpected spring, a well from deep below the barren ground... strengthened themselves, they lend courage to others. And God will be there at the end of their journey. Psalm 84 (Jim Cotter tr.) will frame our retreat as we look for strength and courage to follow Jesus on the way of compassion.

Leader: Carol Wilkinson Martin, member, Lazarus Church; former director of the Silent Retreat Center at Dayspring.

Open Retreat

Reviving the ancient Christian tradition of quarterly Ember Days, these day retreats offer time, silence, beauty and Sabbath rest for the weary. Each Ember Day retreat will center around a theme suggested by the season of the Earth, and the season of the church-Advent, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Through guided reflections on our theme, as well as time for walking, journaling, art and prayer, a spaciousness of heart can begin to heal the pressed and hurried character of our days. So come away for a time, and to a place set apart, and let the fire of the Divine Love within you be rekindled and renewed. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No reservations, no charge. Donations welcome. Bring lunch and come to the Lodge.
Leader: Cheryl Hellner, poet and teacher, member of the Earth Ministry mission group of Dayspring Church.

For information about the theme and leader visit www.seekerschurch.org.

For Seekers Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

This Saturday Day Retreat, 10-4, will offer a gentle rhythm of community prayers, guided meditations, and spaces for solitude--all wrapped in the summer air of silence.  Whether this is a familiar part of your spiritual practice or your first experience of silent retreat you are warmly welcomed to this simple day of quiet refreshment.  Carol Wilkinson-Martin, a long-time retreat leader and former director of Dayspring Retreat Center, will lead.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: EXPLORING THE JESUS PRAYER. In this silent retreat we will explore and practice one of Eastern Christianity's most revered paths of contemplative prayer-the Prayer of the Name. Learning to center ourselves on the living presence of Jesus through the simple, repeated invocation of his name, we will seek to experience the rich potential of this ancient practice for deepening our sense of union with Christ in all circumstances and places. No previous experience necessary.

Leader: Martin Smith is an Episcopal Priest well known for his books on spirituality and his workshops and retreats. He serves as Sr. Associate Rector at St Columba's, Washington. He studied the spirituality of the Jesus Prayer at Oxford under the celebrated Orthodox scholar, Bishop Kallistos Ware.

Open Retreat

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: The Four Immeasurables. If we were to cultivate our mind as if it were a garden, how would we assure a good crop? We would nurture what we planted and pull weeds by the root. If we were to treat our mind in this same way, we could cultivate qualities that would make our world a better place and our own life more satisfying. The Four Immeasurables refer to loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. We will learn and practice simple techniques that will help us to train our minds to create the causes not only for our own happiness, but also for the happiness of those with whom we have connection.

Leader: Ani Rinchen Khandro is a life ordained Buddhist nun who recently completed a three and a half year retreat. She is also an experienced practitioner of Tai Chi /Qigong, which she has taught since 1988.

On this Memorial Day weekend we will remember who we are in
the beauty of song and silence in the midst of the natural beauty of
Dayspring. This retreat will be a blend of singing/chanting,
stories, and mindful silence. Stefan has recently returned to the US after two
years in Ireland
where he wrote new music based on Celtic melodies, incorporating Celtic
spirituality and Indian Raga chanting style. He will share new songs and
chants as well as music from his album "Blessed are the
Peacemakers."

Stefan Andre Waligur,
contemplative, musician/composer and retreat leader has served as Liturgical
Musician for the Church of the Saviour, Chaplain at American University, Artist
in Residence at Memphis Theological Seminary, and Chant Teacher in Plum Village,
a Buddhist Community in France. For a sample of Stefan's music go to www.songsofpeace.net.

Reviving the ancient Christian tradition of quarterly Ember Days, these day retreats offer time, silence, beauty and Sabbath rest for the weary. Each Ember Day retreat will center around a theme suggested by the season of the Earth, and the season of the church-Advent, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Through guided reflections on our theme, as well as time for walking, journaling, art and prayer, a spaciousness of heart can begin to heal the pressed and hurried character of our days. So come away for a time, and to a place set apart, and let the fire of the Divine Love within you be rekindled and renewed. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No reservations, no charge. Donations welcome. Bring lunch and come to the Lodge.
Leader: Cheryl Hellner, poet and teacher, member of the Earth Ministry mission group of Dayspring Church.

This retreat will be led by a member of the church.

For Friends of Jesus Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A member of Eighth Day will lead an introductory meditation on Friday night. There will be morning and evening prayers on Saturday, and a time of sharing and worship on Sunday morning.

For Eighth Day Faith Community. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: AMAZING GRACE. We will explore the stories and scriptures that inspired some favorite old hymns, letting them speak to our souls.

Leaders: Dot Cresswell, one of the founding members of the Church of the Saviour, is a member of Potters House Church. Carol Bullard-Bates is a psychologist, founder of a transitional housing program for homeless families, and a member of Jubilee Church.

For Jubilee Church. Others welcome as space permits.

Theme: EARTH IN PERIL: A MOMENT OF GRACE. At each critical turning point in the long evolutionary story of life in the Universe there is what Thomas Berry calls a moment of grace. Everything seems to hang in the balance. It is a time of great danger and immense possibility. In this retreat we will reflect on the nature of transformation-these moments of grace-using examples drawn from the Universe story, scripture, spiritual biography and the living world around us at Dayspring.

Leaders: Cheryl Hellner and Jim Hall live in a solar cottage they designed and helped to build as part of the Earth Ministry site at Dayspring. As teachers and retreat leaders their call is to help awaken the spiritual awareness and daily life practices that will enable humankind and the natural world to become a single sacred community.

Open Retreat

Theme: Hindus believe that we are born into the world with the mission of finding our way back to God from whom we came. God, whose greatest creation is a human being, has offered us many paths to seek him. An ancient holy text, the Bhagavad-Gita, offers instructions in three parts: knowledge (Jnana), action (Karma), and devotion (Bhakti). We will try to understand the spiritual aspirations and philosophical underpinnings of these paths.

Leader: Professor Emeritus at Uniform Services University for the Health Sciences, Prabir Chakraborty is also an ordained Brahmin priest. He is also a scholar of Hindu philosophy, which is unusual for a priest. This gives him deep insight into the rituals and ceremonies of his religion.

After an introductory meditation on Friday night the silence will not be broken until a time of sharing and worship on Sunday morning.

Leader: Billy Hart is a founding member of Lazarus Church.

For Lazarus Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

For information about the theme and leader visit www.seekerschurch.org.

For Seekers Church. Others welcome as space permits.

Theme: SOUND AND SILENCE: THE HARMONY OF HOPE. "Into your hands I commit my spirit." Calvary was a place of extreme brokenness in Jesus' life and in the world. Yet a new movement began there, through loving surrender, one which still resounds throughout the Universe. How shall we sing a new song of hope? In this awakening season of Spring, after Easter, we will reflect on the Hidden Beauty of broken chords in our own life movements. Singing and chanting and listening for Wisdom, we will explore the harmonies of sound and silence coming from our authentic depths, composed by Grace and offering new life.

Leaders: Ann Dean, spiritual director and teacher at the Servant Leadership School, is a member of the Retreat Mission Group and Program Director at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. Nae Pearson currently serves as Director of Music at Christ Congregational Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. He is a graduate of Shalem's Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats Program.

Open Retreat

"Be known to us in breaking bread, But do not then depart; Savior abide with us, and spread Your table in our heart." During this first weekend after Easter we will focus on the Risen Christ's presence with us and on ways in which he meets us in our everyday lives.

Leader: Janet Hudson is a member of Dayspring Church and has been part of the Wellspring Mission Group for eleven years.

For New Community Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

This retreat will be guided informally during several gatherings of retreatants. The topics of the gatherings will invite reflection on one's own current spiritual practices and how well they are serving as well as reflection on other practices that might be life-giving. The main purpose, however, will be to experience communion in silence.

For Covenant Community. Others welcome as space permits.

Theme: LIVING THE UNDEFENDED LIFE. Jesus was willing to go all the way to death on a cross rather than respond in any way other than the way of love. How far are we willing to go in our communities and in our daily lives? We will reflect on ways we protect and defend ourselves that keep us from being free and loving people.

Leader: Mike Little, member of Lazarus Church and Co-Director of Ministry of Money.

For Dayspring Church. Others welcome as space permits.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme to be announced.

Leader: Sr. Marcella Jordan, SND de Namur, pastoral assistant.

For residents of Christ House.

Reviving the ancient Christian tradition of quarterly Ember Days, these day retreats offer time, silence, beauty and Sabbath rest for the weary. Each Ember Day retreat will center around a theme suggested by the season of the Earth, and the season of the church-Advent, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. Through guided reflections on our theme, as well as time for walking, journaling, art and prayer, a spaciousness of heart can begin to heal the pressed and hurried character of our days. So come away for a time, and to a place set apart, and let the fire of the Divine Love within you be rekindled and renewed. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No reservations, no charge. Donations welcome. Bring lunch and come to the Lodge.
Leader: Cheryl Hellner, poet and teacher, member of the Earth Ministry mission group of Dayspring Church.

A leader will open the retreat with a short meditation leading into the silence, and conclude with a time of sharing.
10 a.m.-2 p.m. There is no charge, although donations are welcome.
No reservations are needed. Bring your own lunch and come to the Lodge of the Carpenter.

Theme: Teaching the Dead Bird to Sing is the title of W. Paul Jones' book of journal entries chronicling his journey from being a social justice/peace activist college professor and theologian to the contemplative, solitary monastic life in a Missouri monastery located in the Ozark hills where he eventually became a hermit. In this retreat, we will reflect on both our and Paul Jones' inward/outward journey as we seek to open ourselves in and through the silence to the One, Jesus, who teaches that which is dead in us to sing a new song unto the Lord.

Leader: Jim Dickerson is pastor of New Community Church and chairman of Manna, Inc.

Open Retreat

Theme: Tu B'Shvat Meditation and Seder. Come experience the gifts of the Jewish New Year of the Trees. Using the framework of the Kabbalistic Tu B'Shvat Seder we will eat the fruits and nuts and drink the juices that are gateways to entering the four worlds: Assiya-work and action; Yetzirah-emotion and relationship; Briyah-values, thought, intellectual paradigms; and Atzilut-Mystery and d'vekut-cleaving with the Divine. We will work our way through the worlds through chant, guided meditation, paired dialogue, sitting and walking meditation.

Leader: Debra Kolodny is the Executive Director of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. She has been studying and teaching Torah for over a decade and is an experienced retreat leader. Now a rabbinic student, Debra is a lay leader at Fabrangen in Washington DC.