Description: A seasonal service retreat experience that will prepare young adults for Advent and plug them into a local parish.
Get Ready
- Prep Time: Since it is a retreat, the leader should reserve rooms at a parish, find speakers, and organize service projects with as much advance notice as possible, probably at least one to two months. As you begin planning, make decisions about the “service” portions of the retreat. Is there a parish ministry where you will volunteer? Or a community food pantry, homeless outreach, or other organization helping those in need? Make arrangements for volunteering well in advance of your retreat weekend. Day of preparation includes a couple of hours for setting up a room(s) for an overnight stay, for session/small group time, for prayer, and for meals.
- Volunteers Needed: You will want a small retreat team of two to five people. Preferred skills include volunteer experience, A/V, music, cooking, public speaking, and facilitating small groups.
- Reserve the Space: One medium-large meeting space with direct access to kitchen and access to restrooms/showers. Access to a sanctuary or chapel is preferred.
- Supplies:
- Bibles, rosaries, journals, pens, paper
- Laptop, projector, screen, and portable speakers (optional)
- CD player/portable speakers or retreat musician/music team
- Aids for Confession, Holy Hour, and Examination of Conscience
- Advent devotional materials (see Help section)
- Supplies specific to the service project(s)
- You will also need to meal plan for three meals, Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, and Saturday lunch. This might require catering coordination or grocery shopping, as well as plates, napkins, utensils, etc.
- Ideal Group Size: Eight to 24.
- Who is this for? Young adults, mainly single 20-somethings looking to “plug into” a new parish.
- When is a good time for this? Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.
- Publicize the Program:
- Work with your parish administrators to contact new young adult parishioners.
- Market the retreat as an opportunity to prepare for Advent, meet other new young adult members, and “plug into” your new parish community.
- Use social media and other online outlets to publicize, such as Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail.
- Advertise in the parish bulletin and via Mass announcements.
Prayer for Program Planner: “Radiating Christ Prayer”
Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly,
that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul
I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine,
so to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from You; none of it will be mine.
It will be you, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example,
by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do,
the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.
Amen.
Community Building: The focus of this particular retreat is investing in and serving your parish community. The outline includes a built-in follow-up session for those who want to share their experience with their parish community and concludes with some form of Advent young adult outreach.
Make It Happen
