Rector's Rambling - September 26, 2010 - Retreat

RETREAT!

No, this is not a call to fall back to a previous military position. Rather, it is that time of the year that it seems every group/church organization has a Retreat.
The weekend retreat is pretty common in the life of the Church. It is a chance to “shake up” one’s schedule, and to spend time concentrating on spiritual matters in a directed way. This can happen at a retreat center, or a church, or even in a hotel. It can include staying overnight at a location or commuting back and forth to be present at the retreat.
This weekend sees several different gatherings of this type affecting St. John’s and her members.
Here at St. John’s we are hosting a Cursillo Weekend for men. Cursillo means “short course” on Christianity. Originated in the Roman Catholic Church in Spain, Cursillo now spans continents and denominations as an effective way to hone in on one’s vocation and God’s calling to you. The Cursillo weekend started Thursday night and the participants have been staying overnight in the building.
Several members of the congregation are away in Buffalo, New York this weekend for the yearly gathering of the Franciscan Third Order of the Divine Compassion, a group of people (lay or ordained, married or single) who are striving to live under a Rule of Life based on one developed by St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century. This past week the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) also met for its yearly North American gathering of its priest members.
And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we have a weekend gathering coming up for all St. John’s members – Faith Alive (November 5–7). It will be a great time for fellowship and discernment about how God is calling us individually, and corporately as a parish, to deepen our living faith. Although we will not be staying here overnight, it will be a weekend full of great opportunities to be together. I implore you to clear your calendar for these days and plan on being present!