New People in Old Stories
In the midst of our overly scheduled lives full of many responsibilities, it is helpful to take time for a spiritual retreat – to be aware of God’s presence, to reflect on the course of our lives, and to ask what is God asking us to do in our daily lives. The Rev. Dr. Frank Wade, our retreat leader, will assist us in this process by focusing his programs on scripture.
For over four thousand years Judaism has been enriched by an approach to scripture known as midrash, a Hebrew word meaning “to seek or inquire.” It involves raising questions the biblical text does not address. The earliest known inquiry was “Why didn’t Adam talk Eve out of eating the apple?” While that might not be a compelling question for our day, the discovery of the original midrash group is relevant. They found that by carefully exploring questions ‘off the grid’ of the biblical text, they were encountering God in new ways. During our time together we will use this ancient practice which relies on imagination as well as scholarship to seek new insights into familiar Bible stories. 
The Rev. Dr. Frank Wade is well known to Immanuelites as he serves as one of our priest associates and shares insights through occasional Sunday sermons and forums. His professional work includes a book on marriage, The Art of Being Together, which is in its third printing. Church Publishing Company released his second book, Transforming Scripture, in 2008. His third book, Biblical Fracking: Midrash for the Modern Christian, was published in 2019. He is an adjunct faculty member at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria and has taught Pastoral Theology at both General and Virginia Seminaries. He has served as Interim Dean of Washington National Cathedral and Interim Dean of Students at Virginia Seminary. In addition to the program sessions, the Rev. Dr. Wade will be available for one-on-one conversations.
The retreat will be held at Holy Cross Abbey in the foothills of Blue Mountains by the Shenandoah River on a 1,200-acre farm near Berryville, Virginia, where Cistercian monks have been praying seven times a day since 1950. The monks observe silence at all times to aid reflection, prayer, and listening to God. During our retreat, long periods of time will be devoted to silence. For more information about Holy Cross Abbey, consult their website, https://www.virginiatrappists.org. The Abbey is an hour and fifteen-minute drive from Alexandria. The retreat will begin Friday afternoon, November 8, shortly before the evening meal and will end after the noon meal on Sunday, November 10. There will be ample time for worship, prayer, and exploring the outdoors as weather permits. |
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The $350.00 registration fee includes all materials, comfortable accommodations, individual rooms each with a bathroom, and all meals. Click on the gray button above right for the registration form. Please submit your registration form and check to the church office, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA. 22304 by Friday, September 27.
Two scholarships given in memory of Charles Willis are available; please contact the rector to request scholarship assistance. If you receive a scholarship, please complete a registration form and indicate that you have a scholarship. If you have questions about retreat logistics, contact Mary Ann Rehnke, [email protected]. Participants needing a ride to the Abbey or those wishing to volunteer to provide a ride may contact the retreat carpooling coordinator, Katherine Maas, [email protected]. |
