Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Jan. 12

In this week’s issue, Lauren Wyeth writes:

As the new year gathers steam and 2022 recedes into the past, it would be easy to miss marking the moment of in-between. On Saturday, Jan. 21, we’ll be at church to make sure that doesn’t happen as we gather for a congregational retreat, named Return Again. [Find retreat details here!]

One function of religion is to mark milestones, to help us knit the past to the present and the present to the future. When we pause to notice what we’re leaving behind and prepare for what’s next, we build our capacity to acknowledge the temporal nature of life, and are better able to take responsibility for using the time we have well. A retreat offers “time out of time” for guided reflection and spiritual practices that help our bodies, brains and spirits metabolize and make meaning of the events of our lives. 

The Return Again retreat offers an opportunity to regard our lives as the sacred texts they become when we treat them as worthy of our attention. When we allow the wisdom of the body a place for expression. When we invite the soul’s understanding to surface. When we let our heart’s longing influence our direction.

For those meeting in person: Our morning begins with a light breakfast, then moves into an opening worship service that will introduce us to concepts and practices we’ll explore through the day. We’ll apply a common framework to our own lives – and share our wonderings and wisdom – in breakout groups, meeting before and then again after a delicious lunch. We’ll close our time with ritual and appreciation for one another and what we’ve noticed.

For those who choose the virtual option: Our morning begins with gathering and greeting one another on Zoom before watching the opening worship service together. Afterward, we’ll explore our own stories in Zoom breakout rooms, and end by returning to the whole group for a closing ritual.

The passage of time – the changes that rock our worlds and shape our lives – are foundational to this experience of being human. I do hope you’ll join us in just over a week as we return to who we are again, together.

Warmly,

Lauren

Lauren Wyeth
Director of Spiritual Growth for All Ages
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis