Feeling tired? Disconnected? Longing for a change of scenery, a chance to get away, a little quiet, a lot of laughter? Then join us…

Restoration’s second annual Women’s Retreat will be February 24-26 at Meadowkirk, a lovely retreat center near Middleburg, VA. This weekend will be a chance to get away from the bustle of DC life, connect with other women in the church, rest, worship, pray, and play. Jordan Ware, who with her husband Patrick has started Winchester Anglican Church in Winchester, VA, will be leading us in worship and reflection on living lives steeped in prayer and founded on our identity as God’s beloved children. It’s going to be a wonderful weekend — so join us!

The details:

The retreat will begin at 7 pm on Friday evening; please eat dinner before you arrive. We’ll wrap up after lunch on Sunday.
Meadowkirk is about an hour’s drive from Arlington.
Babes in arms are welcome.

Accommodations:

A number of different accommodation types are available on a first-come, first-served basis:

• The Inn: These are hotel-like rooms, each with 1 queen bed and 1 twin bed — so they can sleep anywhere from 1-3 people.
• The Cottages: Each cottage has two bunk rooms with 9 beds each, two bathrooms with multiple shower and toilet stalls, and a shared common room with fireplace. Bed linens and towels are NOT included in the cottages.

What will we be doing?

We’ll have times of worship and teaching; there will be small group discussions; there will be opportunities for personal devotional times. There will also be lots of free time in which to rest, go for a hike, hang out, or participate in some of the optional activities we’re planning– like art projects, a trip into Middleburg, a visit to a winery… You can be as busy or as un-busy as you’d like.

Should I come?

YES! Whether you’re brand new to Restoration or have been around since the beginning… Whether you like women’s activities or are terrified by them… Whether you’ve never been on a retreat or have been on so many you’ve lost count… We want ALL of you to come. And don’t let the cost keep you from coming; we’ll have scholarship money available, and that’s what it’s for.

How do I register?

Easy! Download this form, fill it out, and send it with your check to Nicole Sedaca at the address given on the form. Hurry — registration closes on February 10!

We’re off to the 3rd Annual Restoration Fall Retreat!

Hope you are coming with us.

Do you still have questions?  I bet we answer them, here.

The kids are excited, the leaves are turning and the sun will be shining as we head out to Massanetta Springs this weekend!

Its going to be a relaxing weekend hearing from Steve and Sally Breedlove and we’re really in for a treat with worship led by Alex Mejias.

Who will take home the corn hole tournament championship this year? Team Burke?  Team Staples? Maybe a dark horse contender?

See the action unfold and get some fresh air.

Remember, no services on Quincy Street this Sunday. 

• What time does the retreat start on Friday, October 21? We start at 7:30pm on Friday with worship, fellowship and small groups. Check in will be available beginning at 5:30pm. We will not be having a meal together Friday night. Please have dinner before you arrive.

• Where do I go to check in when I get there? There will be a registration table set up in the hotel lobby. Get your retreat packet from the table, and your room key from the front desk.

• What is the schedule? You will receive a copy of the schedule when you arrive. But, for those who love to plan: We start Saturday and Sunday at 8am, and the retreat ends on with lunch on Sunday.

• Do I need to bring linens, sleeping bags, towels, etc.? Only if you want extras!  Massanetta provides sheets and towels, but please do bring extra if you think you need one. If you like to sleep on your own comfy pillow – bring it along!

• Should I bring my own food? No need to bring any food. All meals will be provided by Massanetta, and Restoration will be providing snacks throughout the retreat. If you need something special (diet restrictions, allergies, etc), please let Mary Ann Calhoun know!

• Do I need to bring anything else for free time? Please bring a digital camera (phone camera is fine) for one of the activities! Also, feel free to bring footballs, kick balls, and a fun game in case of rain. We have planned community activities for Saturday afternoon free time.

• This should have been my first question: how do I get there? Directions are easy! Take 66 West to 81 South, continue to Harrisonburg Exit 247A Route 33 East. Go to the 7th stoplight (about 2.5 miles) and turn right on Massanetta Springs Road (Route 687). The main parking lot for the conference center is approximately a half mile on the right. (Look for the stone wall on the right and if you have passed the flashing light you have gone too far.) Go to the big brick hotel, the lobby is in the center of the building.

Don’t forget: We will NOT be having any services at Quincy Street on Sunday, October 23. See you on October 30!

Are you wondering if you should go on the retreat? Are you new to Restoration? Have you been busy this summer and feel kind of disconnected from church?  Have you never been on a church retreat and just think it all sounds a little weird?

If your answer to any of those questions is ‘yes,’ then our answer to you is YES!!! The retreat is perfect for you! It’s a great time to get to know new people and catch up with old friends. There will be great teaching, free time, small groups, optional activities, even a bonfire… And did we mention apple cider and donuts?

• Who: You! and your family! and friends!
• When: October 21 – 23
• Where: Massanetta Springs, VA — about a 2-hour drive from DC
• How: Download a registration form here and mail it to the church, or fill out a registration form at church on Sunday.

Remember: Prices go up after this Sunday, August 21. You can post-date your check to October 1, so go ahead and register today!

Also, we’re looking for people who want in on even more of the fun by helping to pull this whole thing off.  Games, hospitality, small groups, even entertainment — there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved, either before the retreat or over the weekend.  Interested? Contact Mary Ann at maculu2[at]aol[dot]com.

After years of trying to answer that question as a wife, an attorney, a mother, and any of a host of other identities, Elizabeth says God has brought her to a place where she can say, “I am God’s beloved child, and I am the disciple Jesus loves.” As someone who spends far more of my energy than is good for me managing people’s perceptions of me (or, more rightly, managing my perceptions of people’s perceptions of me), I found Elizabeth’s description of herself to be a compelling invitation to a beautiful kind of life. A beautiful, abundant life.

Some more gems from Elizabeth that I’m still pondering:

• “I’m a lot less sophisticated than I used to be.” I love this description of being free to live as the person God made us to be, not who we think we should be.
• “Can you dare to believe that God might just be an abyss of compassion?” What a powerful image. Often it seems too good to be true — and yet, as Elizabeth said, this is what we were made for.
• Psalm 103:4 says that God crowns you with love and compassion. “Have you crowned yourself with love and compassion today? If not, why would you do less for yourself than God does for you?”

Interest piqued? Want to hear more? Talk to one of the 82 women who were on the retreat! And you ladies who were there: Share in the comments what you heard from God over the weekend!

(Photographs by Mary Ann Calhoun)

Quiet. Rest. Reflection. Retreat.

The words are like music to me; my heart longs for these things, yet I find myself filling my days with activities that seem the very opposite of what I’m longing for. It can be so hard to break out of regular patterns to make space for the things I most want and need.

If that sounds familiar to you, then I have a suggestion: Come to the women’s retreat. It’s February 11-13 at Meadowkirk, a beautiful retreat center near Middlburg, VA.  We’ve done all the planning; all you need to do is come. It will be a weekend of rest, great conversation, walks in the woods, and fun. Most of all, it will be a weekend of connecting — with our own hearts, with God, and with each other.

Restoration’s own Elizabeth Fitch will also be guiding us in some habits and practices that can help us live more fully in our identity as God’s beloved daughters. Elizabeth is wonderful, gentle, and wise, and I can’t wait to hear what she has for us.

Space is limited, so register today. All registrations must be received by Wednesday, January 26. You can download the registration form here.

Will you join us?

A post from Krista Obitts and Elizabeth Boesen, 2011 Women’s Retreat coordinators:

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” (Mk 6:31a, NLT)

Can’t wait to see you at Massanetta Springs!  Drive Safe!

FAQ

• What time does the retreat start on Friday October 22? We start at 7:30 pm  on Friday with teaching and fellowship.  Registration will be available beginning at 5:30.  WE WILL NOT BE HAVING A MEAL TOGETHER FRIDAY NIGHT.  Please have dinner before you arrive.
• Where do I go to register when I get there? There will be a registration table set up in the hotel lobby.  Get your retreat packet from the table, and your room key from the front desk.
• What is the schedule? You will receive a copy of the schedule when you arrive.  But, for those who love to plan…  We start Saturday and Sunday at 8AM, and the retreat ends on Sunday with lunch at 12:30 PM
• Do I need to bring linens, sleeping bags, towels, etc.?  Only if you want extras!  Massanetta provides sheets and towels…..but please do bring extra if you think you need one.  If you like to sleep on your own comfy pillow – bring it along!
• Should I bring my own food? No need to bring any food.  All meals will be provided by Massanetta, and RAC will be providing snacks throughout the retreat.  If you need something special (diet restrictions, allergies, etc), please let Mary Vinson know!
• Do I need to bring anything else for free time? Feel free to bring footballs, kick balls, throw a fun game in the car in case of rain. We have planned community activities for Sat. Afternoon free time. The only one you need to sign up for in advance for Sat afternoon is the wine tour – if you want to do that – contact Jeff Walton.
• Can I get my pilates on? Of course!  Emily Courtney has graciously agreed to teach a Pilates class on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 6:30 AM and 7:30 AM.  Class sizes limited to 12 each, so email her if you would like to participate – all you have to do is bring your own mat!
• This should have been my first question…..how do I get there? Directions are easy….Take 66 West to 81 South, continue to Harrisonburg Exit 247A Route 33 East.  Go about 3 miles and turn right to Massanetta Springs.  WATCH for the sign!  The camp is less than one mile down that last road, on your right.  Go to the big brick hotel…the lobby is in the center of the building.

OH!  One more time:  We will not be having any services on Quincy Street this weekend.  See you on October 31!!

Last year was Restoration’s first church-wide retreat, and I – one who often speaks at retreats but secretly never really likes going to them – well…I liked it!  It was, for lack of a more profound word:  good.  Seriously.   Fun, solid, real, good – showing up in basic stuff like this corn hole game at which I initially scoffed and which, honestly, turned out to be a corporate blast.  Or getting to play with some of the little kids who in turn became co-conspirators on many following Sundays, our turning blind eyes to one another’s extra doughnut holes snatched during refreshment times.  And then there were those three or four more-significant conversations I had with a three or four people I’d always thought seemed “nice” or “interesting” but with whom my path never meaningfully crossed on Sunday mornings.  Plus, since I like learning, talking, singing and communion, connecting more deeply with a group of people around corporate worship was a good thing.

So, was my life changed forever by that retreat?  Not exactly.  But I returned to DC woven a bit more deeply into the community that continues to emerge at Restoration. And the Jesus-centric corporate life, which so many others and I have been increasingly experiencing, has slowly but surely been showing itself to be life-changing.

Register Now! Only 34 spots left!