The smell of fresh baked bread filled the air during Alma United Church’s morning retreat, “Seasonal Spirit Stirrings”, held at the Alma Community Centre on Jan. 31.
Organizers note the retreat’s purpose was to make its participants aware that “being attentive to a welcoming winter will bring a sense of warmth and waiting.”
Through sacred readings and spiritual practices participants were encouraged to embrace “the divine season of winter.”
The event contained large and small groups and also allowed for individual time for each participant.
Activities included bread making, knitting and therapeutic touch.
Chris Grose, bread making facilitator, said, “Through silence and the experience of making, shaping, smelling and waiting on the bread, our hearts will be opened to see the ways the spirit is shaping us.”
Teams of two worked together and made bread the old-fashioned way.
As the bread was rising, each person spent time in another room creating journals, answering questions or drawing.
Knitting facilitator Elaine Graham encouraged knitters to take time away from their knitting and do some personal contemplation and connect with God through journal-making.
Knitters of various ages and experience levels shared how they learned to knit and why they continue to knit.
Most agreed knitting was relaxing and the activity provides a getaway from the stresses of the day.
A large group of women heard Susan Leuty speak on therapeutic touch.
While demonstrating a treatment, Leuty explained how participants can become aware of their own energy field while learning how to become centred with “focused intent.”
As with the other two groups, everyone was encouraged to journal through the written word and pictures.
A discussion and sharing time ended the session.
At the end of the morning, the three groups joined together in one room to share a cup of tea and their experiences of the day.
Grose said, “The church decided to do a winter retreat after the success of previous retreats the church had facilitated.”
