On May 5, 13 pilgrims journeyed to Villa Maria Retreat Center in Pulaski for a time of retreat, rest, prayer, reflection in community with God, one another, and the creation. The space was held by the Rev. Jeff Eddings, who led us in a rhythm of prayer, reflection, silence, and communal sharing—morning, midday, and evening. We walked, listened to God and one another, sat under trees, prayed, made art, meditated on scripture, listened to birdsong, laughed, ate, drank, shed some tears, laid some things down, and walked away with simple and personal invitations to practice resurrection in our daily lives. It was and thin and holy space.
Following are some reflections for retreat participants.
One person shared: “I had burdens on my heart that needed to be grieved deeply. Our time of prayer and reflection followed by long hours of silence gave me that opportunity. By the grace and mystery of God so much heaviness was lifted, and I came away feeling gratitude to the leaders and the participants for creating the space that I needed to attain renewal.”
Another commented: “It was a weekend of beautiful rest, renewal, and resurrection for body and soul. The prayer, ritual, fellowship, and heartfelt sharing amongst us was transformative. I look forward to continuing opportunities, like this, to ‘practice resurrection’ with fellow church members and others beyond our immediate church community.”
One final reflection: “Attaining resurrection—moving from guilt or shame over what we have or have not done for Christ, to a sense of hope, possibility, and excitement of who we are becoming in Christ. We were reminded that suffering and surrendering to the will of God are necessary to pursue this ongoing process. As tools for this purpose, we read poems and reflections of others, along with Biblical scriptures. Through worship, group activities, self-reflection, and communing with nature and each other, we individually and collectively pursued the path of attaining resurrection.”
If you’d like to experience a retreat like this, the Spiritual Life Committee will be hosting another retreat at Villa Maria, Friday–Sunday, November 17–19. Mark your calendars!