About Our Lutheran Women's Retreat
We are women from ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada) congregations in B.C.'s Greater Vancouver and Lower Fraser Valley Conferences. Each spring we hold a retreat for the women of our congregations (18 and over) and their friends. We've been holding this Retreat for more than 30 years!
If you are from an ELCIC Lutheran congregation in BC, or from our full-communion sister church, the Anglican Church Canada , or you were invited to our retreat by someone who's going, or are simply someone who wants to find out about our retreat, we invite you to browse these pages (there is a table of contents in the sidebar).
Whether for the first time, or whether you have participated often, you'll be welcomed! Many of our women make it an annual event, treasuring time spent with God, nature and each other, and a weekend filled with worship and a guest speaker, fellowship, music singing and fun, nature and lakeside walks, laughter and tears, prayers and quite times, and just enjoying our time together.
Registration check-in begins late in the afternoon on Friday (by 5pm) and the weekend begins with dinner together, followed by an evening of getting to know each other, orientation time, then singing and entertainment. Come earlier if you’d like to stroll the grounds first. Saturday features a fabulous guest speaker.
Retreat includes a healing service, communion, quiet and prayer times, Holden evening prayer (a vespers service) and lots of music, socializing and singing. We end about 1.30 early Sunday afternoon, following worship service with communion and lunch before we travel home again.
There is time for you to take in lakeside walks, explore hiking trails, or just meditate and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. This is a weekend for you .. enjoy whatever it has to offer you for friendship and renewal of spirit, soul and body.
We would not be able to hold retreat without our many volunteers. We appreciate the many gifts of service, as readers, musicians, vocalists, and worship assistants ~ volunteer lists for these are created at the retreat. We encourage you to bring a skit or presentation for the Friday entertainment (either individually, or as a group), and for musicians, their instruments for singing and worship times. And if you bring a digital camera, you are welcome to link or post your pictures on our website after the retreat.
Location
Our retreat location is Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Centre, nestled in “farm country” south of Abbotsford at 4700 Minaker Road, Sumas Washington, USA. Driving instructions and maps are posted on this website.
2013 Registration Fees
Your registration covers accommodation (Friday and Saturday nights), you own bed, bed linens and towels; meals from Friday evening through to Sunday lunch; and our retreat expenses (such as for speaker, music, pastor, and supplies), and all the peace and tranquility you can handle!
* Shared Room $150-US . . . up to 3 women to a room as per Cedar Springs policy, each with their own queen, double or pullout bed.
* Bunk Bed $140-US . . . the bunkrooms have 6 bunks and one double bed per room.
* Saturday Only $50-US ... this option has no room accommodation and fewer meals.
If you wish to room with someone in particular, or to reserve a bunkroom for a group of friends, please send in your registration forms together, indicating your roommate’s names on the forms. We make effort to accomodate those who have health issues, so please let us know on your application of any special needs, such as food allergies or if you need a ground floor room (of which a limited number are available).
Register Early!
The deadline for receipt of your registration is May 15th 2013.
Don't risk disappointment - register early, especially those needing and requesting main floor rooms.
Packing Tips
Suggestions only, but some things you might want to bring with you are ....
* a bible, a journal for writing
* a skit or song to share with the group
* special music or your musical instrument
* comfortable clothing and shoes
* a coffee mug with your name on it
* something to share at the snack table
* rain gear (not that we`ll need it)
* a camera for recording memories
* a spirit for making memories
* and your passport identification to cross the border
2013 Posters, Registrations download and print
* info page (frequently-asked-questions) .. pdf, one page handout
* registration form (to be sent in the earlier the better for room choice)
* poster for your ELCIC congregation (pdf, 8.5 x 11, colour printing), or if needed, black/white
* cut-and-paste wording for church administrators, for bulletins, newsletters, emailing
We want to be good stewards of your retreat fees, so this year we are "going green" as much as possible hoping to reduce the expenses of printing, envelopes and postage. Consider being the contact person for your congregation, making sure the information is included in weekly church bulletins, newsletters, and that posters are put up in your narthex or meeting rooms.
Are You On Our E-Mail List?
Contact Brenda, our retreat coordinator if you wish us to e-mail you information about next year's retreat.
Or just bookmark us and you can use this website for all relevant information and registration forms.
