Stone Soup Summer Retreat. Register at eventbrite!


Friday, July 31 - Sunday, Aug. 2.
Saint Andrew's, Port Angeles on the edge of the frontier and Olympic National Park
Cost: $25 to cover Coffee and Snacks and a donation to Episcopal Relief and Development. On site meals provided by Kathy Hamilton and the Commission for Youth and Young Adults (!)

1) Media and advertising began in Mid-March - I'll put together media for internet push, get it to you, and take care of advertising through Conspiracy network.

2) Sleeping arrangements: The church will be open as a free lodging option. People can organize their own outside lodging/camping if they please.

3) Event Schedule (all of this is tentative in eager anticipation of your feedback)

Friday, July 31

7:30 - 8:30: Arrive and settle in Any thoughts on trying to get carpools together or is this something that will just happen organically? No thoughts yet, other than this should happen!

8:30 - 9:00: Welcome and introduction to the weekend: CFEM. Gail, would you like to be here for this to consecrate the weekend and introduce the building? I think that would be just delightful and I'd be happy to be participate. We are thrilled to have y'all coming and will do all we can to welcome and extend our hospitality while you are here. Great!

9:00 - 10:00: Divide into predetermined small groups for personal introductions with snacks (we'll need to put together some questions/material to help guide the small group sessions)

10 - 10:30: Compline.

11 - 11:45?: Optional Taize Worship in the Dark. Gail, do you have a chapel or other space that could work well for this? Does anyone know someone who has experience facilitating Taize to head this up? There is not a separate chapel but the church nave could certainly be used. I've done many Taize services (although not here yet) and would be happy to help. Just let me know. We have a piano and could use other musicians who are present to help with music. The one thing St. Andrew's doesn't have is sufficient candles to create the desired atmosphere, so I would put out a call to bring them and can give more information about that later if that's what is decided. That sounds perfect.

Saturday, Aug. 1:

8 - 8:45: Breakfast provided by the food team (i.e. Kathy :)

8:45 - 9:00: Breakfast Clean-up

9 - 9:30: Group Morning Prayer

9:30 - 10:30: variety of workshop electives organized by weekend participants. Topics? Leaders?

10:30 - 10:45: Coffee/snacks

10:45 - 12: Small Groups for conversation on 'Sparking Mission in Western Washington' (or something similar - encouraging participants to vision/brainstorm/network for mission among peers).

12 - 2: Storm the City for Lunch: groups divide and go to a variety of restaurants in town.

2 - 3: Noonday Prayer together as a group at the City Pier. Should we reserve the pavillion in case of rain?

3 - 4:30: Small groups: Topic ideas following on the earlier "mission" discussion?

4:45 - 6:00: Panel Discussion on "Anglimergence": Panel Members? I'm not sure about others, but I would be curious to hear from Karen (because of her COTA experience-Parish level), Jason (as someone from the National Church who might shed some light on how the national church sees things and what they are doing to support Emerging Ministries - Churchwide level), Karen also mentioned she has an intern from England who is part of their Pioneer Mission program (International level), and someone suitable from the Diocese (Diocese-level) I'm happy to talk about what's happening in the Diocese.

6 - 6:30: Evening Prayer

6:30 - 9:00: "So a Bunch of Episcopalians Walk into a Bar..." Dinner and "Theology Pub". Groups of 6-10 divide and go to various restaurants in town. Angela, could you put together a group of restaurants where we could reserve group space? Probably 8 - 10 total should be more than enough.

9:30: Compline

10:00 - 10:30: Group Cleans the Church to be presentable for Sunday Morning. Then free time/evening snacks.

Sunday, August 2:

Stone Soup Breakfast

Services with St. Andrew's Community. Gail, any thoughts on how we could participate here? Sermon? Music? the whole shebang? Nothing in particular yet; readings and music certainly. I'd like to talk to you about your thoughts on what a sermon would entail regarding content, intention, etc. I'm thinking that if we do the sermon, it's set up with a specific young leader beforehand and they write it based on the readings for the week as usual. I don't have any thoughts beyond that yet.

Retreat concludes after service, but "Unofficial" electives following for those with time/energy: A group hike in Olympic National Park, shopping in Port Townsend, heading to the Pacific Coast for Camping, Meeting for folks interested in organizing future regional events, etc.

a) I'd like to get a variety of liturgists for the weekend to organize and lead the prayer pieces - it would be great if we can do some liturgical experimentation, some "straight up" broad-church Episcopalian, some Anglo-Catholic, etc. Ideas on folks to get on board? I am not positive that I will be able to make it yet but a community I am a part of up here in Bellingham has a form of daily praye. We use the BCP for our primary text and various chants for psalms and canticles. We could do morning, evening or compline. -ryan This would be awesome Ryan - do you want to see if you can line up at least 1 - 2 from up there to lead some stuff? midnight chants could be rad!