"Dear Heart, Come Home Retreat" |  November 9 - 11, 2018

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 9th - Sunday, November 11th.

The retreat is called "Dear Heart, Come Home" and will be facilitated by Linda Parnell and Margie Upson. 

 "When change winds swirl through our life, especially at midlife - they often call us to undertake a new passage of the spiritual journey - that of confronting the lost self...the true self. They call us to come home to ourselves, to become whom we really are." ~ Joyce Rupp

“ Midlife is an opportunity to turn towards greater life or wholeness.” ~ Sue Monk Kidd

Drawing on these concepts, Linda Parnell and Margie Upson will provide a contemplative and worshipful space for retreatants to recognize and affirm an emerging true self. 

Our Hope For You

Retreatants will be encouraged to reflect on the possibility of shedding former "skins" that no longer fit. To peer into the darkness where metamorphose takes place, by being invited into the discovery of the depth and richness that can happen in the second half of life.

In midlife one moves from the external world that needs attention ie. work and bringing up families and into a different season of life where the call is often to an internal,  inward journey towards Christ in us.  How we negotiate this may make “all the difference of how we experience the last epoch of our life” Sue writes.

We also hope to look at rich gleanings from others writings such as Richard Rohr’s, Falling Upward- a Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.  We will share material on transitions faced in midlife and the crises of identity out of which redirection may occur.

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.

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 led the Titoki team with her husband Roger as the wonderful resident counsellor up until 2018.  Otaki is now blessed to have Margie and Roger as part of their community, where Margie is continuing with her counselling practise. 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 "Dear Heart, Come Home" Retreat.

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 slowing down and reflecting at this time.

The teaching will be accompanied by spaces for meditative reflection in periods of deep silence built into each day. 

Spiritual directions sessions of 30mins each will be available to participants during Saturday if you wish to discuss your 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.

Saturday afternoon will involve a creative expression outlet for retreatants.

Sunday 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 $260 which includes accommodation at Titoki and beautiful meals.   For those who opt for a single-bed room with shared bathroom, the price is $220 including meals.  Spaces are limited so please book in.

An offering will be taken at the end of the retreat to bless our facilitators travelling to be here.

What do we need to bring?

People only need to bring their Bibles and a book to journal in.   

How do we book?

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.