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Evensong Ministries
Retreats

Evensong Ministries offers on site retreats for your Church group or for your entire Church community.

Scroll down to see what we offer.

Evensong Ministries On Your Site

We do not have a site where we offer retreats.   If you are looking for an overnight retreat
you can try Rolling Ridge Retreat Center in No. Andover., MA
       

Contact us to have someone come to your site and offer one of our retreats 

Moving Forward Through Life's Tensions

This directed retreat process invites the participant to relax deeply and to be open and attentive to the invitations that lie in the midst of life’s tensions. Together we will look at feelings, beliefs, ideas that are in opposition within, identifying expectations and pulls. We will revision ideas of holiness, recognizing spiritual practices that draw us deeper into the nurturance of our souls. All of this will be expressed through the mandorla process in support of the recognition of the liminal space between life’s expectations, images and pulls, the sacred space of the authentic self calling from within.

This is a perfect retreat for a small church group seeking relaxation.  Offered by Rev. Marie David.  Please call for more information:  508-737-2883

Prayer Beyond Words

There are many prayers throughout religious traditions that support our relationship with God. However, when there are no words to express the prayer of our souls, the gift of artistic expression can assist us in communicating the depth of our experience. Prayer Beyond Words is a retreat process to connect with the voice of one’s soul through the exploration of a variety of artistic mediums including pastels, watercolor and clay. No artistic experience or training is necessary to give voice to your soul’s prayer, only the desire to listen.

This is a ideal retreat for a small church group looking to deepen their prayer life in new ways.  Offered by Rev. Marie David.  Please call for more information:  508-737-2883

Honoring the Loss

There are times in our lives in which we are called to make space to honor the loss in our lives, whether it be a person, pet, home, expectations. This four day retreat is a time of nurturance for the mind, body and soul. Nurturing meals, a beautiful private room, a Reiki treatment and the creation of memory beads support the healing process. Participants are invited to bring rose petals, dried or fresh, to cook into a mash to make the memory beads. This retreat typically unfolds over three to four days.

Designed for people who have moved through the initial stages of the grieving process, this retreat helps individuals to take another by honoring cherished memories of loved ones who has passed.  For groups of 2 to 4 people, this retreat is offered by Rev. Marie David.  Call for more information:  508-737-2883.

Pathways to the Soul

Often we long for some personal space in our busy and hectic lives. This personal retreat experience uses a guided meditation, journaling, and creative prayer to facilitate a journey inward to the soul. In personal meditation and using imaginative prayer the retreatant will learn to create and explore pathways to the inner self. This retreat can be offered to large or small groups.  It includes a daily presentation and a  30 min. guided meditation, and typically unfolds over two to three days.

Pathways to the Soul can be presented to an entire church community or to a small church group.  Offered by Rev. Jim David.  Call for more information:  508-737-1899

Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius (founder of the Society of Jesus, commonly known as Jesuits) are perhaps the most widely known and used exercises in conducting private directed retreats. The spiritual exercises engage one’s whole person – body, mind, and soul in reaching inward and outward in response to the movement of God in one’s life. St. Ignatius is famous for bringing his background of discipline, intellectual clarity, and determination to the spiritual life. The exercises provide a basic step by step approach to responding to God’s outreach to us in the life and teachings of Jesus through reflection and meditation, engaging our faculties of intellect, emotion, and will. The adaptability of the exercises allow for a variety of approaches in structuring retreats suited to different individuals.

Introduction to Ignatian Retreats
This 2 – 4 day directed retreat is for those wishing an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. An introductory overview is provided of the basic approach to the Spiritual Exercises. The retreatant will then engage one or two of the exercises daily through prayer, meditation, and scripture reading. Keeping a daily journal is an important aspect of this retreat. The retreat includes 30 minutes of spiritual direction each day for each participant.  Typically involving 3 - 4 participants, this retreat is offered by Rev. Jim David.

Five or Eight Day Ignatian Retreats
 
These more typical Ignatian Retreats are for individuals who have experience with directed retreats and wish to engage the Ignatian Exercises. Included in this retreat is a thirty minute daily session with a spiritual director. The cost of this retreat inclusive of room and meeting with a director is $165 per day.

Design Your Own Retreat

For those individuals and groups who are seeking guidance in developing their retreat time we would be happy to speak with you to clarify your intention for your time away. Setting forth intention provides the opportunity to focus our energies and thoughts in healthy, life-giving ways. Your retreat will be developed with as much or little structure as you desire. It may include reconnection with the rhythms of the earth while walking the labyrinth or nearby beaches, journaling, bike riding, meditation, centering prayer, Reiki treatment, spiritual companionship or just sitting in silence to better hear your inner wisdom. The initial phone conversation with Marie or Jim to develop your intention and design your personal retreat is billed at $75 per hour. Reiki and spiritual companionship during your retreat are also $75. Available for both single day and multiple day retreats and for group retreats. To arrange for this service please call (508-432-0027) or email us: jim@evensongministires or revmariedavid@gmail.com