Writing on the importance of Christian community, Dietrich Boenhoffer said, “I am God’s claim on you, you are God’s claim on me. The community itself is a form of God’s revelation. God is with us as long as there is community. This is the deepest meaning of our being bound to social life; that, through it, we are bound all the closer to God.”
I think the truth of this observation is borne out in our Hills Church Vision. Two of the four hallmarks of our next chapter are “Deepening Our Bond with Each Other” and “Encountering God.” If Bonehoeffer is right, these two are flip sides of the same coin, absolutely inseparable. We cannot have one without the other.
As we move into our Vision, one powerful and fun way to deepen our bonds with one another will be over the weekend of October 22-24, when the Hills Church goes on retreat! The aim of this spiritual retreat will be to relax together in a beautiful setting while drawing closer to God and to one another. The Retreat will take place at Pilgrim Pines Conference Center near Keene, NH, about a 2-hour drive from the Hills Church.
The Retreat will begin on the evening of Friday, October 22nd, and conclude after worship and lunch on Sunday, October 24th. The entire clergy team will attend, and our music will be led by John Finney. There will still be a worship service here in our Sanctuary for those who cannot attend, but we sincerely hope everyone will be able to be a part of this joyful, restful weekend.
Church members and friends are encouraged to arrive on Friday evening, but will be able to join in on Saturday, or even drive up for just the Sunday morning worship service. Carpools and rides will be available.
There will be programming aimed at our youth and children, as well as intergenerational events and programs aimed specifically at adults. Our hope is that if we take a break from our “church routine” and provide ourselves with a space and a place through which to see one another and God through “fresh eyes,” wonderful things might happen. In addition, rather than spending our time together focused on the work of the church, this retreat will offer plenty of room to simply
be with each other in a relaxing environment.
Anticipated cost for the entire weekend, including meals, will be: $100/adult, $75/6th-12th grade, and $50/child.
At this point, no deposit is needed. We do, however, need to begin reserving space and identifying the number of folks who will attend. Please call or email Cynthia at the church office to register (781-235-4424, cynthia@hillschurch.org). More details about the retreat will come soon. For now, please save the date!
God Bless You,
Matt
