Silent Retreat

 

Let’s face it:  life is very busy and very noisy these days.  So, how about a weekend to yourself and for yourself?  Some time away from the telephone, Internet, traffic, kids, etc. to find your own inner voice, reflect and relax in the beauty of Southeastern Wisconsin in the fall.  Come and join us for forty-eight hours of relaxation and self-reflection, on September 20-22, 2013.  You can commune with nature and not have demands on your time … on a silent retreat.  All meals and private sleeping rooms with private baths are provided, and during the weekend, we gather for two “community” events that offer opportunities to deepen your spiritual experience in UU style.  What a wonderful way to spend a weekend!

This fall we will return to the Cedar Valley Retreat Center, located forty-five miles from downtown Milwaukee, in West Bend.  This modern facility features 24 private rooms, each with its own bathroom and shower.  All cooking and housekeeping services are provided by Cedar Valley.  The facility is handicap accessible and features an elevator for easy movement between the building’s two floors.  The Center includes 100 acres of winding trails, a swimming pond, an outdoor labyrinth and a chapel.  Massage and other spa services are available onsite, by advance appointment.  For more information and photos, visit www.cedarvalleycenter.org.

Approximately thirty-four spots are available (number varies depending on number of occupants in the room).  For Church members who stay in a room alone, the total price, including six meals, is $230 per person.  If you have a roommate, the cost is $190 per person.  There are fourteen rooms with one bed and ten rooms with two beds.  Note:  these costs are slightly higher than last year due to increased costs at the facility and our reservation of a larger meeting room that we can use for two full days.

 

Please note:  because we incur cancellation fees for unused rooms and meals, please carefully review the cancellation policy on the registration form.  Note that your registration form must include your payment before it can be accepted.

All meals will be provided by Cedar Valley.  We will have no responsibility for cooking or cleaning up.  The cooks have expressed a willingness to accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences.  Please let us know on your registration form whether you have any preferences or requirements, as we will use that information in creating the menu.

Retreatants can check in between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, September 20.  (We may be able to accommodate requests for early arrival; let us know if you are interested.)  We will have a group meal at 6 p.m., followed by a service, at the end of which we will enter into silence.  We’ll break our silence with a service on late Sunday morning.  You are welcome to leave after lunch or to stay as late as 3 p.m.  (Sleeping rooms, however, will need to be vacated Sunday A.M.)   

Registration forms will be accepted in person on May 19 in the Common Room after each service.  Registration forms can also be dropped off in the church office or mailed via U.S. Mail. Registration Form (pdf)

 

Reservations are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, except that preference will be given to first-time retreatants, those who select a double room, and church members.  All those who register by June 1 will be notified by the middle of June as to whether their space is confirmed.  After that time, notifications will be made a few days after each registration form is received.  If you are serious about attending, be sure to register by June 1.  If we do not have enough participants, we will notify you if the retreat must be cancelled by June 30. 

 

The full cost of the retreat is due at the time of registration and is fully refundable if you cancel your attendance by email or phone by 5 p.m. before Friday,  August 16.  After August 16, the cost is refundable only if another person ultimately takes your spot. 

 

If you are unable to commit now, be sure to let the co-chairs know that you are potentially interested and we’ll keep you posted about last-minute cancellations.

 

In early September, confirmed retreatants will receive detailed information on how to get to the center, what to bring, the schedule, etc.

Please contact 2013 Silent Retreat Committee Co-Chairs Tracy Straub at tlstraubgmail [dot] com or Rachelle Alioto at rachelle [dot] aliotogmail [dot] com.