An Easter Retreat
At Rolling Ridge
Study Retreat Community ,
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
5:30 pm April 2, 2010 - 6:00 pm April 3, 2010
Over time, by spending time with thoughtful
theologians, we have come to recognize that central meanings of both the birth
of Jesus and of Easter are enunciations of deep yearning for a world where love
and justice are passionately embraced. As practiced in the cultures of empire
from the first century until now, love and justice often have not been the
focus of how the Jesus birth story or the Easter story are told .
"The story of Holy Week as Mark and the gospels tell
it enables us to hear the passion of Jesus---what he was passionate
about---that led to his execution. His passion was the kingdom of God,
what life would be like on earth if God were king and the rulers, domination
systems, and empires of this world were not. It is the world that prophets
dreamed of---a world of distributive justice in which everybody has enough and
systems are fair. And it is not simply a political dream. It is God's dream, a
dream that can only be realized by being grounded ever more deeply in the
reality of God, whose heart is justice. Jesus' passion got him killed. But God
has vindicated Jesus. This is the political meaning of Good Friday and Easter."
(The Last Week, Borg and Crossan)
In this Easter retreat at Rolling Ridge we will
reflect on the Jesus who is passionate about love of God and love of neighbor,
and our own call to be transformed into holding such a dream, and not to be
conformed to the practice of Easter by the empire in which we live.
This 24-hour retreat interval is designed to enable a
preparation for Easter, and to allow anyone who wishes to do so to experience
Easter Sunday in their church congregation. Selected brief passages from three sources
will be mailed in advance of retreat to each registered retreat participant. Prior to retreat, we suggest that you use a
journal for recording what you learn through study and reflection on these
passages. Then bring the journal to retreat and continue recording insights
during this 24 hour period.
The 24 hours of retreat will begin at 5:30 on Good Friday with
introductions of all who are gathered, orientation to the elements of this
retreat, distribution of aids for reflection, and a Lenten meal of bread and
soup. This is followed by a walking meditation, the Stations of the Cross,
through the forest and sacred spaces of Rolling Ridge. This version of the "Via
Dolorosa" looks at the passion of Jesus defined not as his suffering, but rather
as parabolic explication of what he was passionate about. Experience and
understand the Stations in a new way amid the beauty and peace of wilderness.
Quiet for reflection, prayer and rest follows until breakfast Saturday morning,
after which we begin a time of conversation and meditation, guided by the
schedule below.
Saturday
8:00 -- Breakfast (in silence), listening to a
parabolic story read during the meal
9:30 -- Gather for sharing insights from the study
sources mailed in advance to participants, and from the Stations
experience
10:30 - Personal
reflection in solitude or with one another (refreshments)
12:00 - Lunch and
conversation on personal insights
1:30 - Options for personal
reflection in solitude, sharing in a small group, or hiking on forest trails
4:00 - Gather
for sharing insights from the retreat
5:00 - Simple supper, and closing of
retreat
6:00 - Return to home or remain at
the retreat house until Sunday noon
if
you desire personal retreat
The Friday evening segment of this retreat is guided
by Lindsay McLaughlin, who has led an alternate version of Stations of the
Cross for 11 years. Vivian and Verle Headings will guide the Saturday segment
of the retreat. All three are residential members of Study Retreat Community.
For questions and registering for retreat, contact
Verle or Vivian at e-mail:
VvatRR@juno.com
or phone: 304-725-2312. Please let us know if you need directions to the Retreat
House.
Specify your interest for the entire 24-hour retreat,
Friday evening only, Saturday only, or continuing until Sunday noon for personal retreat. Retreat
fee (meals, refreshments, study materials, and lodgeing ) will be $50 per
person. For extended stay add $10. Please recall that for overnight events at
the Retreat House you bring your own bedroll and towel.
Finally, please give us your mailing address so that
we can mail study materials to you.
Please join us for our next Seasonal Quiet Day, this one celebrating Autumn: Wednesday, October 20, 10 am - 4 pm. You are welcome to overnight in the Retreat House Tuesday or Wednesday to extend your retreat time!
Cost of the Workshop Weekend - $145, including meals and housing. (If finances are an issue, please contact us.)
*Sigi was the architect who designed Woodhaven and she has done strawbale and plastering workshops here at Rolling Ridge and many other places. She founded Down to Earth to provide healthy, sustainable design and consulting services in the Mid-Atlantic region. For more info visit: 
