It’s less than a week until we are on retreat together! We are so looking forward to our time in community as we engage the themes and practices of Prayer: Deepening Our Intimacy with God. The retreat is December 10th-12th with check-in beginning at 4pm on Sunday at University of St. Mary of the Lake.
Remember to bring:
Bring your Bible and journal
Casual, comfortable clothing with layers for adjusting to the varying temperature
Pillow or any other items that would help you rest well
Alarm clock so you can completely unplug
Toiletries and Hair Dryer (if needed)
Below you will find additional information that will be helpful as we get used to a new quarterly rhythm of retreat. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any lingering questions or concerns!
Blessings, The TC19 Ministry Community
Arrival and Lodging
As you may remember, the main entrance of University of St Mary of the Lake is closed at this time. When using an address to find the conference center, please use 300 Principal Ave, Mundelein, IL. Upon entering the USML campus at the University Drive entrance, follow signs to the Purple parking lot which will be on your left. NOTE: your GPS will probably bypass the Purple parking lot so watch carefully; the lot will not be a long distance from the entrance.Here is a map for easy reference. After parking in the purple parking lot, walk down the ramp from the lot to the Conference Center Lodging Building.
You can check in at the registration window, then around the corner in the living room, find the Transforming Center check-in table.
The TC check-in table will not be ready prior to 4pm. USML will make every effort to accommodate you if you arrive early, but we are not able to guarantee early check-in. We will meet for dinner in the dining hall at 5:30pm.
Departure on Tuesday
The retreat will end at 1:00pm on Tuesday. Please plan to stay until the very end since our Leaving Service will always bring both the content of the retreat and our time together to a meaningful close.
Your Small Group and Convener
Listed below are the conveners for your small groups. If you are named as the convener below and know you will be running late on Sunday, please let your small group know and ask someone to substitute for you (please make sure you all have exchanged email addresses).The convener has responsibility for Sunday's dinner discussion:
Ask the Holy Spirit to be present in your time together
Watch the time as each participant shares
Close with a prayer of thanksgiving for the time together
Please judge how much time each person
will have to share (5–10 minutes for a larger group) and use the questions for your sharing about prayer over the last quarter (the questions were in Ruth's recent email and also will be in your folder).
While the dinner hour can't have the same rhythm of silence-and-speaking as your group spiritual direction times, it can still contain the same spirit of allowing each person to share their experience of prayer these past three months and to receive their words with listening reverence.
The convener will act as time-keeper for the small group direction experience Monday night as well. Instructions will be given while on retreat.
Conveners for this retreat are:Angela Bullock, Jessica Staton, Christine Brendle, Tonya Wenger, Melanie Koch, Olin Jones, Manny Gonzalez, David Pate, Lee Schott, Brandy Young, Logan Epperson, Alejandro Lopez, Rachel Haaga, Emily Bouche, Dana Martin, Melissa Hofmeister, Allen Holmes.
Other Reminders
IMPORTANT SCHEDULE NOTE! Please make note on your calendars:
Retreat #5 June 30-July 2 will end at 4pm on Tuesday July 2nd.
Retreat #6 September 15-17 will end at 1pm on Tuesday Sept. 17th.
Papers If you have not already
done so, email your written reflections to TC19papers@transformingcenter.org by the Friday before the retreat begins. For formatting guidelines, please refer to the During the Quarter document in your folder or visit the TC19 webpage.
Absences Remember, if you have to be absent for any retreat, email TC19@transformingcenter.org to let us and your small group know so we can be aware of the things going on for you and can hold you in prayer. Also, refer to the Helpful Information document on theTC19 webpagein order to catch up with all that is needed to fulfill the requirements to earn a certificate.
