AYF Pre-Gathering Retreat
AYF Retreat, Saturday June 30
Finding Purpose: AYFs seek clarity
Ever wondered whether it might be better for you and everyone to go back to being a baby? Ever thought you might never figure out what gives you meaning and purpose? Ever faced a decision that meant the difference between happiness and just settling for drudgery? Join us at the second annual pre-Gathering AYF retreat to think about these questions.
The retreat will focus on the clearness process in relation to AYF’s lives. The pre-Gathering Retreat is intended to build the AYF community, to help us learn together through experiential activities and discussion, and to have fun. Mary Ann Downey and Bill Holland (Atlanta Meeting) will lead us in a workshop during which we will be introduced (or re-introduced) to the value, use, and process of clearness committees.
We will use worship sharing on selected queries, then in small groups and whole group use poetry, journaling and discussion to practice skills essential to the clearness committee process. We will offer the opportunity to engage in a clearness committee as either the focus person, or a member. Inspired by Parker Palmer's book, A Hidden Wholeness, we will be, in his words "creating a safe space that both safeguards and encourages the inner journey. In such a space, we are freed to hear our own truth, touch what brings us joy,...and take risky steps toward change..."
All of this will be focused on how we can use the clearness process during the gathering as an AYF community, and in our own lives once we have returned from the gathering. By the end of the retreat we'll have gotten a clearer sense of how to use the clearness process to deepen spiritual community and in clarifying our life purposes on this earth--what our passions and ministries might be.
Tentative Schedule
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Announcements and short introductions.
9:15 AM Workshop with Mary Ann and Bill
12:30 PM Lunchand Free Time
1:30 PM Run around games, to loosen up before next activities.
3:00 PM Practice Clearness Committees
5:00 PM Free Time
6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM (optional) Strategizing ways to Welcome the Rest of the Community
Price: The $45 Retreat Fee includes three meals on Saturday. Friends must also pay for housing for Friday and Saturday nights. If staying in AYF dorm, housing is $20/night for a double, $22/night for a single. Some workgrant volunteers will have the Saturday housing fee waived. You may add Sunday breakfast and lunch to your registration by May 31, or you may purchase these meals off campus.
Housing: You'll be in the same room for the Retreat that you'll use during Gathering, so please choose the same kind of housing. The AYF dorm is not air conditioned. Note: you can choose any kind of housing and participate in AYF Retreat or any portion of the AYF program.
Arrive on time (preferably Friday night): Friends who would like to register for the retreat are encouraged to arrive in time for the start of workshop. If you are arriving Saturday, remember that you should allow about an hour to check in. We would like those who register for the retreat to be present for the Saturday workshop (9:15 - 12:30 pm) and the break-out groups (3 - 5pm).
Please do your best to be present for these two programs on Saturday--for the sake of building our community's backbone, which will help us as we come together more fully once the gathering is in full swing.
Financial Aid: Your Retreat Fee and $20 per night for housing on Friday and/or Saturday nights can be included with your Basic Fee to calculate maximum financial aid.
Example 1: Just the Gathering. Julio arrives Sunday, registers for a double in the AYF cluster (which does not have air conditioning), and chooses the three-meal plan. His total costs:
$340 Program Fee
less $20 young adult discount
$168 for double (shared) room, no a/c
$210 for three-meal-a-day meal plan
Total fees = $698
Maximum scholarship = $349.
Note this is the maximum scholarship for a young adult attending just the Gathering regardless of their meal or lodging choices.
Example 2: Gathering plus AYF Retreat. Angela makes all the same choices as Julio, EXCEPT she decided to arrive Friday night and attend the AYF Retreat.
To Julio's $698 total fees for the Gathering, she adds:
$20 x 2 for two nights of early housing
$45 for AYF retreat (including three meals on Saturday)
Total fees=$783
Maximum scholarship = $392.
Note that Angela has not yet paid for breakfast or lunch on Sunday July 1.
Cancellation Fees: The standard Gathering cancellation policy pertains.
- If you cancel your AYF Retreat registration between June 1 and 14, you will be charged $22.50 (half of the AYF Retreat Fee).
- If you cancel your AYF Retreat Registration after June 14, you will be charged:
75% * (AYF Retreat Fee + cancelled early housing fees + cancelled early meals). Cancelled early meals might include breakfast or lunch on Sunday July 1.
