Lakeland Women's Ministry Contemplative Retreats
Abiding in Christ through the spiritual discipline of solitude & silence
Lakeland
Women's Ministry
Contemplative Retreats
Why we created a rhythm of retreat
As part of Lakeland Community's "At the Well" Women's Ministry, we help women create a rhythm of life that deepens and grows a more consistent connection to God (abide).
We do this by providing a safe environment for women to connect with God and experience transformation through the spiritual discipline of solitude and silence as a community.
Deeper. Closer. Calmer.
If these are what you want more of in your faith and relationship with Jesus, solitude is a way to have them.
Anchor your journey
Grow closer to God through a regular practice of solitude & silence
Our lives are so busy. So demanding. The world is loud. Noisy. Time passes quickly, and we get caught up in the rush of life and without even realizing it can find ourselves adrift. Distracted. Too full. Too empty.​​
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Retreat is a time to separate from all of that. To find quiet and make time to intentionally connect with our source of peace, wisdom, guidance, life. The desert fathers called this "fleeing," though it is not meant as an escape.
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The purpose of going away is not to avoid life, it is to find it. The regular, ongoing practice of it helps us ultimately to bring what we remember on retreat into our daily lives--to remain, stay--abide--in Christ, more.
The retreat sequence
Our retreat cycles are graduated. Each year you can evaluate whether you want to continue or move on to something else. We provide a variety of sacred spaces for retreat. The retreat season runs from April through January. Commitment window is January - early March.
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Year 1: Away
We go "away" and learn what it is to "flee." The first year of solitude retreats is a gentle introduction to the practice. A small group of women go away together to learn what it means to flee from the world to seek God's voice alone.
1 Year Commitment
4 Retreats
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(2) 3-day weekends (Spring, Fall)
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(2) 1-day gatherings (Summer, Winter)
02+
Year 2 & Beyond: Stay
The second year and beyond is offered to continue the practice and create a rhythm in our minds, bodies and spirits to form our lives around abiding.
03
Ongoing Formation: Read & Reflect
Throughout the year we encourage spiritual reading and taking time to reflect on what God has spoken to us and to others through the ages. We provide 4 books for the first year of retreat: The Way of the Heart, Atchison Blue, The Critical Journey and Mudhouse Sabbath.
We believe that solitude and silence are necessary to sustain a vibrant Christian life. That we do not transform ourselves, we abide and in abiding God transforms us. The discomfort of displacement is a necessary part of the process, which we also trust that the Holy Spirit works through.
Growing our roots
Letting God bear the fruit
Think of it this way: instead of striving endlessly to shape ourselves into who we want to be, we sink into the soil of solitude and nourish our roots in Jesus. In that quiet space, our growth becomes his work within us. We rest in him, allowing him to shape us into who he created us to be. The work we do with our hands then becomes the natural result of listening to his voice and following his lead.
How to register
If you know you want to join us and are ready commit to our retreat program for 2025, the button below will take you to Lakeland's new payment and registration center. So when you're ready to register, just click it and follow the directions. Registration is our mutual commitment--we'll hold your spot and you show up. You can pay one retreat at a time. The first retreat is due April 3, 2022.
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(Please note: In order to honor our agreements with the wonderful retreat centers, we must ask participants register within 30 days of the retreat in order to secure a spot otherwise rooms will be released. Payments are also nonrefundable.)
It's simply solitude.
We'd love for you to join us.
Reach out to us with questions
We are in our 10th year of retreats, so clearly we believe they are a wonderful part of growing together in Christ. Please reach out to us if you have any questions. We'd love to talk with you. Just fill out this form and we'll get back to you!
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Retreat Sequence
