27 Pleasant Street, Concord, New Hampshire, (603)224-2521
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SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC 27 Pleasant Street, Concord, New Hampshire, (603)224-2521 |
| Worship | Christian Education | Music Ministry | Mission |
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Men's RetreatSouth Church men retreat to a rural setting each year for a January weekend of fellowship, workshopping, recreation and worship. The tradition has continued uninterrupted since the early 80's, and recently has taken place at the Marrowvista Center in Tamworth, New Hampshire. The retreat setting is fully handicapped accessable and meals are prepared and served on site by Merrovista staff, leaving the retreat group to focus on the weekend's activities.Focus topics have included spiritual inquiry into common issues of church life, living a Christian life in our jobs and communities, our mariages, and our families. The depth of discussion benefits from the breadth of spiritual experience and life lessons brought to the retreat by a diverse collection of church men. The retreat gathers informally for dinner at a convenient stop on the way to Merrovista, and reconvenes formally at the retreat site for a welcoming session followed by a relaxed fellowship time. Saturday morning is filled with workshops, presentations, and individual reflection time. Group skiing, snowshoing, or winter hiking are available Saturday afternoon, with a reunion at 4 or so for snacks and fellowship before dinner. The evening program is flexible, and has included discussion, topical movies, jornaling and hymn fests. Program resumes after breakfast on Sunday morning, followed by a communion service leading into a wrapup session before lunch and travel back to Concord. The Men's Retreat presents a unique opportunity in the church year for men to congregate and focus on issues of spiritual life. An ad hoc steering commmitte of chuch members meets with the minister to develop the annual theme and materials, and churchmen take an active role in facilitating the various discussion sessions. Emphesis is placed on participating in all levels of activity, both program and recreation. But there is room for private retreating as well. "Why [do I go]? As it approaches every year, it seems like a bad idea. I have too much work to do and too many responsibilies and chores at home. My top priority is my family. What sense does it make to leave them for the weekend and miss the limited precious time I have with them? And for what? To spend the weekend with a bunch of men who snore, drink beer, and tell very, very bad jokes? Maybe this will be the year I don't go. Then someone asks me. Are you going? Something makes me say "yes" inspite of myself and all the very good reasons I have for not going. What is it? As corny as it inevitably sounds, I have to believe it is the Spirit at work. Because what happens at men's retreat is this. You spend time intentionally thinking about and exploring your faith and your life. You are with a bunch of men who are openly willing to do the same thing, without judgment about you and your ramblings. Stop there. Is there any other place in your life where that happens? Often? Ever? OK. What else? You learn. You learn from what others offer. You learn from your own musings. You love. This is a great and wonderful group, every year, and the spirit of comraderie and sharing is powerful. You hear incredible stories. Some are moving, some are funny, some are boring, some are not factually verifiable. They are all true, though, and they all tie us together in some inexplicable way. And you have more fun than should be legal. All in all, it is a great opportunity for growth, fun, and community, and that is enough to make it holy. And so I guess that must be why I've gone to 18 or so of them over the years. "---Dave Fries "The Men's Retreats are, for me, valuable, and as it turns out, unique opportunities to listen to, observe and exchange views with people I greatly respect. Those views usually are based on the same fundamentals of our faith, life experiences, and education, but they are different and enlarging views for me because of our individual differences in perspective. The highlights of these retreats are almost too fleeting and fragile to memorialize in writing, but most valuable, nonetheless."----Chuck Gerhan "I always look forward to the men's retreat because it gives me a chance to spiritually re-energize myself. On top of that it's a lot of fun and fellowship for everyone - new attendees and old timers alike."--Rick Wagner "While walking the labyrinth on my own Easter vigil I was aware of some of the essential parts of my own spiritual journey. Being involved in repeating actions or rituals helps put me in a place where the 'action' part of my life stops, and I find myself surrendering to the moments and clearing my internal world of all the 'shouldas' and 'gottas' that both haunt and fill my time. Another aspect of my own spiritual journey involves being connected with others. This connection needs to be in the context of a relationship that forms out of some common need or experience. The Men's retreat fills both of these needs for me. The normal rythums of my life stop. All of the 'shouldas and gottas' fade form my mind. I engage in a series of conversations and activities with guys that I don't normally encounter on a daily basis. I discover fantastic depth of thought and reflection. I feel joined on the pilgrimage we call our life. I do not feel alone. I laugh a lot. On those rare years that I have not been able to attend, I miss it. I look forward to going again." ---Billy Brown "Ok."--Ray Phelan Photos by Richard Nelson and Chris Scott |
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