Sunday night, we were led by Gail Donahue and Joan Kelley as we continued to discern how God is inviting us into a rhythm of retreat this summer. In the stillness of retreat, Gail taught, God reminds us of our identity as God’s beloved children and what God intends for our lives as we reflect Christ’s image to the world in which we live. She then offered helpful and practical guidance for how we engage this spiritual practice. How do we transition into retreat? What should we be aware of on retreat, and how do we transition out of retreat?

Then we were guided by Joan Kelley in a practice of listening for God’s invitation. This wonderful practice is one we can use anytime we sense an invitation from God, and you can find the handouts here and here. If you couldn’t be with us last night, would you please make time this week to listen and engage this practice?

Kingdom Practices
As we move into the summer, let’s continue to discern how God is inviting us into a rhythm of retreat. How might the practice of retreat remind us of our belovedness and help us engage the activities of the summer as God intends? How will you retreat this summer? Where will you go and what practices will you engage? If you are still discerning, that’s okay. (I certainly am.) You might choose to read some more about retreat or listen to some podcasts, or you may consider including someone in what you are hearing. As our invitations from God become more clear, let’s choose to respond and see how God intends to move in us this summer. Last night, we shared a list of helpful resources that includes books and podcasts, resources for retreat, and places you might go on retreat. You can find that list here.