The Sacred Garden Retreat | November 4-6

"The Sacred Garden Retreat" |  November 4-6, 2016

Dear Friends,

We invite you to join us for a fully hosted  weekend retreat at Titoki Christian Healing Centre in rural Whakatane from Friday, November 4th - Sunday, November 6th.

The retreat is called "The Sacred Garden" and will be facilitated by Linda Parnell and Margie Upson.

Our Hope For You

"As facilitators , our deepest hope is that you, as a retreatant, will find yourself increasingly entering into a sacred place with the Lord.  We believe this weekend will provide an enriching experience for your faith as you discover resources that are both newer practices and ones which have ancient, deep and historical roots in the Christian tradition (eg. Christian mindfulness, lectio divina and centering prayer ).  We trust that you will be lead from your present reality, through a "gateway" and into greater depth in your relationship with God."  Margie & Linda

 

About Retreat Facilitators 

Linda Parnell

Linda has been married for 43 years and has 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren.  She completed a degree in counselling from Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, following which she trained as a spiritual director through Spiritual Growth Ministries (SGM). 

She currently has a private practice in her home in Tauranga, where she offers both counselling and spiritual direction, as well as an  office in Bethlehem where she will be offering counselling on an occasional basis.

Her special interest lies in the field of asthetics and creating beauty as a healing resource for one's own life, as well as the lives of others.  This interest is threaded through her retreats, her work and her life.

Margie Upson

Margie is currently leading the Titoki team with her husband Roger and is our wonderful resident counsellor. She has a Bachelor in Counselling from Laidlaw College, as well as a Certificate in Clinical Traumatology from the Traumatology Institute.  

Margie is a compassionate listener who has recently completed a two year spiritual direction training.  As part of her research for this course, Margie explored the nuances of both mindfulness and mediation.  She feels priviledged to have this opportunity to share some of these riches she has mined with the Sacred Garden retreat.

 

Retreat Q&A

Will this retreat be taken in silence?

This will be a guided retreat with periods of silence encouraged for reflection. Meals will be be a time of sharing and socialising with others.

 

What is the format of the retreat?

Guests are encouraged to arrive from Friday 5pm in time to settle in their rooms before dinner at 6:00pm. The first introductory session will commence at 7:30pm on Friday evening and will be a time of learning about each other and the weekend's theme.  We will begin the process of entering into stillness, slowing down and becoming silent at this time. 

Saturday morning there will be a reflective talk followed by personal quiet time with the Lord which can be spent in the peaceful lawns surrounding Titoki.

Saturday afternoon will be a creative time set aside  for journaling or drawing.  We will provide materials so participants can create their own collage or three dimensional "Sacred Garden."

In the evening, there will be opportunity for sharing alongside a trusted spiritual practise called "The Examen."

Spiritual directions sessions of 30mins each will be available to participants during Saturday if they wish to discuss their current journey with God.

Spiritual direction is about helping people notice the movements of God in their everyday living, often in ways that we don’t notice.  We tend to notice the extra-ordinary and can miss the ways God is present in our lives in the smallest details.

Sunday morning will have a leisurely breakfast, followed by a contemplation walk, a "Lectio Divina" and one's own meditative time with the Lord.

Communion and a voluntary time of sharing will end the retreat.

Lunch will be provided before the retreat finishes at approximately 1:30pm.

 

Can you describe the accommodation at Titoki?

Titoki’s rooms are warm, comfortable and of of motel quality standard.  Some rooms have ensuites, whilst others have shared baths. All have electric blankets through the winter.  Meals are homestyle, made from fresh Titoki produce and will be served along with delicious snacks, teas and coffees. Titoki can cater for specific dietery needs.  Please let us know at time of booking.

What are the retreat accomodation costs?

The retreat cost is $250 which includes accommodation at Titoki, meals and all craft materials.   For those who opt for a single-bed room with shared bathroom, the price is $220 including accommodation, meals and craft materials.  Spaces are limited so please book in.

What do we need to bring?

People only need to bring their Bibles and a book to journal in.   They may wish to bring favourite colouring pencils etc if they choose, but as these will be provided and are not essential.  

 

How do we book?

UPDATE OCTOBER 20th:

This conference is now fully booked.  If you wish to put your name on a cancellation list, please contact us.

Contact the Titoki team as soon as possible to secure your spot.  Email: info@titoki.org.nz  Phone:  07 308 6503   Address: 71 Titoki Road, Whakatane

We look forward to meeting you and hosting you at Titoki for this special retreat.

Posted: Tuesday 13 September 2016