In November, Anugraha RPC made some history! Our congregation had its first-ever, multi-day church retreat! We have had a number of day-long retreats in the past, but this year we hosted a 3 day retreat from Nov 6 to Nov 8 at a lovely Christian retreat center on the outskirts of our mega-city. The events committee felt strongly that there was a great need among us for an extended time of learning, fellowship, and encouragement. Although there was some uncertainty if participants would be able to take off the time needed to attend such an event, we were pleased by the overall attendance. It began on a delightful Thursday afternoon and ended on Saturday afternoon, spanning two nights and all day on Friday.
The theme of the retreat was “The fruit of the Spirit” taken from Galatians 5. Led by two teaching elders, the teaching times were broken into four parts:
- Session 1: Fruit of Love
- Session 2: Fruit of Joy
- Session 3: Fruit of Peace
- Session 4: Fruit of Self-control
Group discussions followed each teaching session, allowing attendees to dig deeper into the truths taught and challenging all to share personal experiences and practical applications. Optional morning devotions (before breakfast) were also offered by two other elders to stimulate our thinking on these topics.
Probably the greatest blessing of this multi-day retreat was the chance for deeper fellowship. A number of activities fostered bonding among us as we enjoyed getting to know each other better:
- Meal/snack times
- Fun games and activities
- A bonfire night
- And even dancing (both ethnic dancing and line-dancing!)
Most of the attendees were church members, but there were others as well: adherents, extended family members, and guests from both overseas and other parts of our country. At least one participant is not a believer, but someone who is exploring the Christian faith.
We are thankful to the Lord for abundantly blessing this experiment of a multi-day retreat, and are grateful for those who worked so hard to make this event happen. This opportunity was just what we as a church needed for encouragement. And it was so successful that plans have already begun for the next 3- day retreat sometime next year!
Please Pray:
- Pray for close bonding in our congregation through events such as this retreat.
- Pray that visitors and those on the periphery would be drawn into deeper fellowship with us.
Asha R.
Member of Anugraha RPC
