11am on Wednesday 15th - after lunch on Friday 17th May 2024
FULLY BOOKED - Please email [email protected] if you would like to be put on the waiting list or be informed about future dates
A two-night retreat for clergy and lay leaders from smaller churches*. The Church of England has several thousand such churches, but their specific needs and potential are too often overlooked. Run in partnership with ReSource, which works particularly with smaller parish churches and groups of churches, this retreat will enable participants to explore what it means for hope to be renewed in such contexts.
Drawing throughout from the Parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13, themes under consideration will include the significance of prayer beyond Sundays; building and nurturing effective lay teams; growing younger; refreshing established patterns of worship; having the confidence to start small and do one thing well.
This retreat follows last year’s fully-booked event with ReSource, Spiritual Renewal in Liturgical Churches. Please note that while there is plenty of time for personal retreat and reflection, there will also be opportunities for discussion and conversation, and we hope participants will be keen to share about, and learn from, one another’s contexts.
Led by Cuddesdon alumnus Revd Dr Christopher Landau, director of ReSource, along with ReSource Ministers Rod and Jan Allon-Smith, who bring both ordained ministry and leadership development experience to the retreat (see Our Team — Resourcing Renewal). We also look forward to welcoming College Principal Bishop Humphrey Southern for an evening session.
(*by which we mean 50 or fewer people at worship – perhaps many fewer! – on a typical Sunday).
£160, includes accommodation and meals
PROGRAMME
Wednesday 15th May
11:00 Arrivals and coffee
11:45 College Community Eucharist
13:00 Lunch
14:30 Inspired by the Mustard Seed and Yeast: the encouragement that ‘small is beautiful’ in the kingdom of God
16:00 Tea
16:30 Individual or small group reflection
17:15 Evening Prayer
18:00 Supper
19:30 ‘Fireside conversations’ sharing experiences of, and/or hopes for, renewing hope in smaller churches
21:30 Compline in Chapel (optional)
Thursday 16th May
07:30 BCP Eucharist (optional)
08:15 Breakfast
09:00 Morning Prayer with college community in Chapel
09:45 Sowing for (yet) another season: the place of prayer and renewed worship
11:00 Coffee
11:15 Living with the Weeds: naming and facing challenges in smaller church ministry
12:30 Lunch
followed by free time for prayer, rest, or a local walk;
and opportunities to meet with the retreat leaders for conversation and prayer
15:45 Tea
16:15 Optional session on Healing ministry and the renewing of hope
17:15 Evening Prayer
18:00 Supper
19:30 Bishop Humphrey Southern in conversation
21:30 Compline in Chapel (optional)
Friday 17th May
07:30 Eucharist (optional)
08:15 Breakfast
09:00 Morning Prayer with college community in Chapel
Check out of rooms
09:45 Seeking the Hidden Treasure as you look ahead
11:00 Coffee
11:30 Closing Holy Communion service in Chapel, with anointing
13:00 Lunch followed by departures