Making Peace with Money
2020-08-03 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM Retreat House Event
Making Peace with Money
4 sessions: Monday evenings, August 3 – 24
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. via Zoom

Imagine having conversations about money that are encouraging instead of frustrating. In this Wisdom Circle, we will consider how spiritual practices can help us shift our attitudes and thoughts about money. A spiritual perspective has the potential to help us feel more peaceful and less stressful about how we live with money.
In this online group, we will inspire and support each other as we look within for a better understanding of money as a God-given tool. Sessions will include themed readings and reflection, asking questions, and space for sensing God’s presence and guidance. Each week, we will take home a new practice to try and then have an opportunity to share our experience with the group.
Registration is required at https://bit.ly/RHmoney or by sending an email to info@retreathousehillsboro.com, or calling (410) 364-7069. A suggested donation of $75.00 per person is requested, however all are welcome regardless of finances. Upon registration, you will receive the Zoom link.
ABOUT THE RETREAT LEADER: Meg Gallagher is a life coach, retreat leader and writer. Meg has enjoyed her transition from a corporate career to the gentler non-profit world. She is also delighted to serve as manager of The Retreat House at Hillsboro where she is learning the contemplative way of life. She and her husband, Pat, live in Hillsboro.

Wisdom Circle: Prayerful Listening for Spiritual Guidance
2020-09-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom Wisdom Circles – Meeting ID: 285 967 538
REGISTRATION CLOSED
WISDOM CIRCLE: Prayerful Listening for Spiritual Guidance
Wednesdays, September 16, 23, 30 and October 7, 2020
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
“… the Spirit of Truth is at work in the depths of our hearts –
helping, searching, knowing, and interceding.
[Prayerful listening] is an invitation to bend a prayerful, listening ear
toward that Spirit who is with us always.”
– L.A. Lindbloom, “Prayerful Listening: Cultivating Discernment in Community”

A Wisdom Circle is a group of 8-12 people who gather to learn, tell stories, listen and pray about a particular subject. Within the circle, we practice a way of being that connects us in spirit while drawing us within for a deeper experience.

“… the Spirit of Truth is at work in the depths of our hearts – helping, searching, knowing, and interceding. [Prayerful listening] is an invitation to bend a prayerful, listening ear toward that Spirit who is with us always.” – L.A. Lindbloom, “Prayerful Listening: Cultivating Discernment in Community”

The practice of spiritual guidance has many names: spiritual direction, prayerful listening, sacred listening, or spiritual companionship. In this Wisdom Circle we will learn how to seek and accept spiritual guidance by combining silence, prayerful listening and open-hearted response.
In social conversation, the usual pattern is a give-and-take of ideas and perspectives. In a prayerful listening group, there is an ebb and flow of words and silence. It is within the silence that the Holy Spirit whispers, inspiring us to respond for the sake of the one who has spoken.
During our sessions, we will practice the three essential parts of prayerful listening that take place when a group gathers for spiritual guidance:

Pray silently, and listen for how God speaks to us.
Listen attentively as others seek discernment for a specific situation.
Pray on behalf of another and respond prayerfully to that person.

In the last session we will bring together all three practices for the full experience of a prayerful listening group. We ask that you attend all four sessions. Come on your own, bring a partner, or join with a few friends. People of all faith traditions and spiritual experiences are welcome.
At the end of this program participants will have an opportunity to join a spiritual guidance group or to arrange for individual spiritual guidance from one of the Retreat House spiritual directors.*
REGISTER ONLINE at https://bit.ly/rhlistenreg , or by email to info@retreathousehillsboro.org. Once you register for the series of four sessions, you will receive the Zoom link. Payments can be made with online registration or by check mailed to the address below. As always, everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of finances.

About the Wisdom Circle leader: Linda Mastro will lead the main session of The Wisdom Circle, with smaller breakout groups facilitated by the spiritual directors* of The Retreat House. Linda is a spiritual pilgrim, life coach and spiritual director trained through the Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, Maryland. Learn more about Linda and her practice at livingpilgrimage.com.
*A list of Retreat House spiritual directors can be found at retreathousehillsboro.org/meditation-and-reflection/

Autumn Quiet Days: Embracing Possibility (in person)
2020-10-03 09:30 - 14:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
In this time of pandemic we are challenged to make room in our lives
for the unexpected. During these Quiet Days, we will spend time
noticing the new ways we are living and the possibilities emerging.
Can we open our minds and hearts to embrace possibility? What can we
harvest from this upheaval? We will explore these questions and ideas
through prayer, readings, silence, journaling and sharing.
When nothing is sure, everything is possible
-Margaret Drabble
REGISTER FOR YOUR PREFERRED DATE:
In person, October 3: tinyurl.com/RHqdlive
Online, October 10: tinyurl.com/RHqdonline
A suggested donation of $40 per person is requested. This amount is
just a guideline—please don’t let finances keep you from attending!
For the in-person session, seating is limited to 8 participants; masks and social distancing will be
required. Please bring your own breakfast, lunch, and beverages. The Retreat House will provide
cold bottled water.
For the Zoom session, you will receive the log in link once you have registered.

ABOUT THE RETREAT LEADER: Julia Morris-Myers loves discovering the sacred in everyday life. She is a musician, teacher and spiritual director on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she lives with her husband and assorted pets. Julia is the Director of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville and has certificates in leading groups and in spiritual direction from the Shalem Institute in Washington, DC, and Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville MD.

All Souls and All Saints Day: Candlelight Vigil
2020-10-31 18:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Come by the Retreat House to walk through St. Paul’s Cemetery to say a prayer, pay respects, and see the beautiful candles on each grave.
All are welcome as we share in a time of quiet reflection and remembrance.

Wisdom Circle - Seeing the Word: Illuminating Advent
2020-11-30 18:30 - 19:30 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Mondays, November 30th-December 21st at 6:30-7:30PM via Zoom.
Seeing the Word: Illuminating Advent is a contemplative prayer practice using illuminations from the St John’s Bible. These images bring to life passages from Scripture, helping us to engage with the Word, encounter the Divine, and enact the Message in our daily lives.
Advent honors the time of waiting for the arrival of the Christ child. We gather each week in hope, peace, joy and love to meet the Messiah who is – and is yet to come – through guided reflections. The illuminations from the Saint John’s Bible, which reflect scripture readings for the season, draw us further into contemplative prayer. As we open “the eyes of our heart” (visio divina) and “the ears of our heart” (lectio divina), we discover what the Word means to us and what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do in the world today.
The Saint John’s Bible is the first of its kind in 500 years. Commissioned by the Benedictine monks at St. John’s Abbey, as a tribute to the new millennium, this handwritten NRSV Bible has over 160 illuminations to bring the Word of God to life today. By praying with the illuminations, we may search deeper into the meaning for our lives.

Register online at tinyurl.com/RHWCAdvent by Monday, November 23rd.

HEATHER HALL is graduate of Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, an ecumenical and multi-faith program. She is a lifelong learner and seeker who graduated from Education for Ministry and JustFaith. While living in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather was active with St Mary’s Episcopal Church, where she led Adult Education – developing and facilitating classes, workshops and retreats – and Outreach programs. Born and raised in Maryland, where she taught college and started her career in environmental science, Heather recently returned to the Shore to establish her encore career as a life coach, spiritual director and storyteller through arts & crafts. Email Heather at heather@discoverwithheather.com.

Advent Quiet Day: Blessed by The Wisdom of Mary
2020-12-02 09:30 - 14:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

LUKE 1:28

During this Advent Quiet Day, Mary’s wisdom will be our inspiration as we explore the expectation, preparation, and acceptance of the amazing faith that becomes incarnate on Christmas.
Our time together will be spent in prayer, reflection, journaling, and conversation. We will meet in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at the Retreat House at Hillsboro. The church sanctuary is arranged for the safety of physical distancing and also allows for intimate sharing. Bring your own lunch and dress warmly for time outside, if you would like to spend time on the grounds or walk the labyrinth. Tea, coffee, and snacks will be provided.

Register at tinyurl.com/RHAdventLive

LINDA MASTRO is a member of the spiritual direction team at the Retreat House at Hillsboro, and is a facilitator of individual and group spiritual direction, women’s retreats, and other spiritual programs. Linda is a graduate of the spiritual direction program of the Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, MD, and is co-author of the book Petite Retreats: Renewing Body, Mind, and Spirit without Leaving Home. She lives in Easton, Maryland. Learn more at livingpilgrimage.com.

Gathering of the Greens and Wreath Making
2020-12-13 13:00 - 15:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Come and go as you like and enjoy creating a lovely hand-made wreath from fresh greens, along with a cup of hot cider and socially distanced cheer.

Illumination
2020-12-19 16:30 - 18:30 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE for ILLUMINATION on Saturday, December 19 to 4:30 – 6:30 pm. Sunset is at 4:44!
Dress warmly for Hillsboro Luminaries Night! Stroll the neighborhood to see the hundreds of beautiful luminaries lining the streets. Then join us at the Retreat House for a guided candlelight labyrinth walk, a crackling fire and the warm spirit of Christmas!
Our gathering will be socially distanced. We ask that anyone who joins us wears a mask and maintains six feet of distance from anyone not in their household. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we seek to keep our community safe!

Women's Christmas
2021-01-06 14:00 - 16:30 | ZOOM Retreat House Event
Image: Wise Women Also Came © Jan Richardson

Wednesday, January 6
2:00 – 4:30 p.m.
On Zoom

The Feast of the Epiphany is also known as Women’s Christmas. Originating in Ireland, it is a day of rest for women after weeks of preparing for Christmas Day. Inspired by Jan Richardson’s annual Women’s Christmas Retreat, we created this celebration just for you.

Please join us for this special retreat and time of spiritual relaxation. We’ll read poetry (bring your favorites,) tell stories, do some journaling and meditate together.

This is time for YOU. Bring your needlework, coloring, or another project. Make a pot of tea, light a candle, and settle in for a delightful afternoon.

Register

Winter Quiet Day
2021-01-14 09:30 - 13:00 | ZOOM Retreat House Event
Please join us for this peaceful retreat day for quiet time, prayer and thoughtful conversation.

Using scripture, poetry, readings and music, we will gently reflect on the experiences of the past year. What have we learned? Then, we’ll consider the darkness of winter, looking for seeds of hope and inspiration.
Some time will be spent together in conversation, perhaps in small groups; and other times we will step away from the screen to read, journal or be silent. You will receive copies of the readings in advance.

A suggested donation of $30 per person will be gratefully accepted. This amount is just a guideline — please don’t let finances keep you from attending. All are welcome!

PLEASE REGISTER at https://tinyurl.com/RHQDWinter or send an email to info@retreathousehillsboro.org. Once you register, you will receive the Zoom link.

ABOUT THE RETREAT LEADER: Julia Morris-Myers loves discovering the sacred in everyday life. She is a musician, teacher and spiritual director on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she lives with her husband and assorted pets. Julia is the Director of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville and has certificates in leading groups and in spiritual direction from the Shalem Institute in Washington, DC, and Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville MD.

Winter Wisdom Circle: Creative Spirit
2021-01-21 18:30 - 2021-02-18 20:00 | ZOOM Retreat House Event
REGISTRATION CLOSED

Thursdays, January 21-February 18 6:30-8:00pm, via Zoom
Our souls speak many languages: words, sights & sounds, textures or movement, just to name a few. While writers, composers, artists and performers may speak these languages more eloquently, we all have Creative Spirit.
Join us for this unique opportunity to dialogue with the Divine in new ways. Each week, we’ll explore a different medium: storytelling, visual arts, lyrics & poetry, voice & rhythm, and prayer in motion. Learn to access your Creative Spirit and discover the message God is sharing with you.
No experience required! This Wisdom Circle is a safe space to play, to release expectations and judgements, and to embrace the Creative Spirit within each of us. A suggested donation of $75 per person will be gratefully accepted. This amount is just a guideline—please don’t let finances keep you from attending. All are welcome!

HEATHER HALL is graduate of Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, an ecumenical and multi-faith program. She is a lifelong learner and seeker who graduated from Education for Ministry and JustFaith. While living in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather was active with St Mary’s Episcopal Church, where she led Adult Education – developing and facilitating classes, workshops and retreats – and Outreach programs. Born and raised in Maryland, where she taught college and started her career in environmental science, Heather recently returned to the Shore to establish her encore career as a life coach, spiritual director and storyteller through arts & crafts. Email Heather at heather@discoverwithheather.com.

Being Sanctuary
2021-02-22 19:30 - 21:00 | ZOOM Retreat House Event
Mondays, February 22 – March 8 at 7:30-9:00pm, via Zoom
With a deep breath I ask: in our noisy world, where is sanctuary? How can I bring the healing of sanctuary into these times—in my home, my work and my community?
Join in this mid-winter pause as we anticipate beginning again in our world. In this Wisdom Circle, we will share in holy listening, and invite a space to hear the sacred rumblings that we each bring. Then, we will shape a blessing of going forth, a Celtic practice when moving from one place to another.
Gather with curiosity—what will this time invite? Our circle will offer the refreshment of listening and reflection inspired by the voices of Brother Lawrence, a 17c. cook and Carmelite lay brother, Macrina Wiederkehr, beloved poet and monastic, and Howard Thurman, philosopher and theologian.
The suggested donation is $75 per person, but please don’t let finances keep you from attending. All are welcome. You will receive the Zoom link once you register.
Register online at https://tinyurl.com/RHSanctuaryWC

HEATHER STRANG is a graduate of the Shalem Institute Spiritual Guidance Program and is a spiritual companion, retreat leader, chef and culinary teacher. After receiving a most surprising and humble Christmas gift of a rock inscribed with ‘laugh’, Heather begins this year with a new spiritual practice—laughter. She resides with her husband in Annapolis, Maryland.

Seeing the Word: Women of the Bible
2021-03-01 18:30 - 19:30 | ZOOM Retreat House Event
Mondays, March 1-22 at 6:30-7:30 pm, via Zoom
Seeing the Word: Women of the Bible is a contemplative prayer practice using illuminations from the St John’s Bible. These images bring to life passages from Scripture, helping us to engage with the Word, encounter the Divine, and enact the Message in our daily lives. As we journey through this Lenten season, we’ll explore often overlooked women of the Bible. Their faith, hope, courage and love are highlighted in the St John’s Bible. As we contemplate their stories in the scripture and illuminations, we begin to see where they journey with us and how our journey is paved by them.
We gather each week to share our journeys through guided reflections. The illuminations from the Saint John’s Bible draw us further into contemplative prayer. As we open “the eyes of our heart” (visio divina) and “the ears of our heart” (lectio divina), we discover what the Word means to us and what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do in the world today. The Saint John’s Bible is the first of its kind in 500 years. Commissioned by the Benedictine monks at St. John’s Abbey, as a tribute to the new millennium, this handwritten NRSV Bible has over 160 illuminations to bring the Word of God to life today. By praying with the illuminations, we may search deeper into the meaning for our lives.

Register online at https://tinyurl.com/RHWCWomen by Friday, February 26.

HEATHER HALL is graduate of Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, an ecumenical and multi-faith program. She is a lifelong learner and seeker who graduated from Education for Ministry and JustFaith. While living in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather was active with St Mary’s Episcopal Church, where she led Adult Education – developing and facilitating classes, workshops and retreats – and Outreach programs. Born and raised in Maryland, where she taught college and started her career in environmental science, Heather recently returned to the Shore to establish her encore career as a life coach, spiritual director and storyteller through arts & crafts. Email Heather at heather@discoverwithheather.com.

In-Person Spring Quiet Day
2021-04-08 09:30 - 14:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
This Seasonal Quiet Day will focus on new beginnings! Join us as we observe the parallels among spring,
resurrection, and the gradual ending of the pandemic.
Where do you see a rebirth in your own life and
how is that specifically tied to this year of extraordinary challenges?
What do you wish to leave behind…or carry with you? We will be guided by scripture, poetry, silence and conversation, and most of all, by Mother Nature.
Please select the session that works best fro you. A suggested donation of $40 will be gratefully accepted, however, please don’t let the finances keep you from attending.
IN-PERSON SESSION
Thursday, April 8, 2021. 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Register at http://bit.ly/RHspringreg
This socially distanced gathering will take place in St. Paul’s Church and on the beautiful grounds of the Retreat House. Bring your lunch to enjoy indoors or outdoors in the spaces we have prepared. (Masks will still be required indoors.)
VIRTUAL SESSION on Zoom
Thursday, April 22, 2021. 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register at http://bit.ly/RHspringregvirt
Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link.

Conscious Aging: Wisdom Circle
2021-04-16 13:00 - 14:30 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Friday Afternoons April 16-May 21 1:00-2:30 pm, via Zoom
Learn to create a “new vision of aging” in this unique
wisdom circle. During these sessions, you will be
guided to:
▪ Develop skills of self-compassion
▪ Discover what gives heart & meaning to your life
▪ Minimize feelings of isolation
▪ Cultivate a personal roadmap for your own aging
journey
Join us as we focus on listening to our own inner wisdom and guidance, cultivating best practices, sharing in an intimate conversation circle, and listening to the collective wisdom of the group.
The suggested donation is $75 per person, but please don’t let finances keep you from attending. Each participant will
be asked to purchase a Conscious Aging workbook developed by the Institute of Noetic Sciences http://noetic.org based on extensive research and practices in healing and mind body medicine. Once registered, you will
receive the Zoom link. You will also receive instructions for purchasing the workbook, which is an additional $15 including shipping.
Register Online at: https://tinyurl.com/RHAgingWC

ABOUT THE RETREAT LEADER: Beth Knight holds a master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary and is a seasoned Spiritual Director of 17+ years. Beth received her Spiritual Director’s Certificate at Holy Spirit Center of Anchorage, AK (2005) and a Certificate in Supervision of Spiritual Directors through Audire’ School of Spiritual Direction (2019) in Orlando, FL. She also is a trained Chaplain and commissioned minister through Federation of Christian Ministries. Beth is a contemplative and passionate about one-to-one spiritual support processes, retreat/workshop ministry and creative contemplative worship. She and her husband, Gordon live in Clermont, Florida.

Virtual Spring Quiet Day
2021-04-22 09:30 - 13:00 | Zoom-Quiet Day

Spirituality of Gardening
2021-05-13 13:00 - 14:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Thursdays, May 13 – 27 1 pm – 2 pm.
May 13 on-site ~ May 20, 27 via Zoom
Time in the garden can become a healing and nourishing experience, a place for us
to find presence and peace. In this wisdom circle, we will learn how to slow down the
mind and body to find that quiet calm, being with the garden in a gentle and
intentional way. All are welcome – gardening skills not required! We will gather
on-site for our first session, and via Zoom for the second and third sessions.
We will enjoy the time to:
~ explore meditative practices designed to help us experience the earth and the
energy of the plants
~ notice how setting this intention brings a more aware state and peace to both us
and the plants in our midst
~ reflect with others upon some of the life lessons we can learn from gardening
The suggested donation is $75 per person, but please don’t let finances keep
you from attending. Register online here, https:/ tinyurl.com/energ-plants, or
send an email to info@retreathouseshillsboro.org

About the retreat leader: Mary Anne La Torre is an R.N. with a M.A. in psychiatric nursing and training in acupressure, reiki, homeopathy, flower essences and essential oils. For 30 years, Mary Anne has had a private counseling practice, consolidating these approaches with various wellness and stress management techniques, including meditative and breathing techniques for use in nature.

Creative Spirit: Retreat Day
2021-05-15 09:30 - 15:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Saturday, May 15th, 9:30am – 3:00pm Onsite at the Retreat House at Hillsboro
Our souls speak many languages: words, sights, sounds, textures, rhythms and movement, to name just a few. While writers, composers, artists and performers may speak these languages more eloquently, we all have a Creative Spirit. Learn to access your Creative Spirit and discover the message God is sharing with you!

Let’s release expectations, play and be curious for a day. This retreat is a safe space to come together as we embrace the Creative Spirit within each of us. During this retreat, we will explore: storytelling, visual arts, lyrics & poetry, music & voice, and the body in motion. No experience needed!
Creative Spirit will take place inside the Retreat House and on the beautiful grounds (weather depending), following Covid safe practices. Please bring your own lunch and your mask. Tea, coffee and water provided.
A suggested donation of $40 will be gratefully accepted; however, please don’t let finances keep you from attending. Please register online by Wednesday, May 12th: https://tinyurl.com/RHcreativespirit, or by email to info@retreathousehillsboro.org

Heather Hall is graduate of Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, an ecumenical and multi-faith program. She is a lifelong learner and seeker whograduated from Education for Ministry and JustFaith. While living in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather was active with St Mary’s Episcopal Church, where she led Adult Education – developing and facilitating classes, workshops and retreats – and Outreach programs. Born and raised in Maryland, where she taught college and started her career in environmental science, Heather recently returned to the Shore to establish her encore career as a life coach, spiritual director and storyteller through arts & crafts. Email: heather@discoverwithheather.com

Summer Quiet Day
2021-06-17 09:30 - 14:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
In-person St. Paul’s Church, Hillsboro
This Seasonal Quiet Day will offer time for journaling, silence, time outdoors, and gentle conversation.
Enjoy the open space to explore readings having to do with the long season of summer and its invitation to step back, grow or slow down – or all of these! We’ll enjoy scripture readings and poetry, from David Whyte, Rumi, and Mary Oliver, as inspirations for our own lives and as discernment for what the Spirit might be calling us to do.
We will also take inspiration from nature and the beautiful grounds of the Retreat House. What have I planted this season? How is it growing? Perhaps I want to plan a late-season crop?
Register at https://tinyurl.com/RHSummerQD
Our gathering will take place in St. Paul’s Church and on the beautiful grounds of the Retreat House.

Click here for a flyer with more information.

Retreat House at Hillsboro 7th Anniversary Celebration and Open House
2021-06-27 14:00 - 16:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
All are welcome to join in our celebration on the beautiful grounds of the Retreat House! There will be music and laughter and gratitude as we share time celebrating our seven-year journey together.

Wisdom Circle: Seeing the Word Sacred Ordinary Days
2021-07-19 19:00 - 20:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Four Monday Evenings
July 19 – August 9
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. via Zoom
We are pleased to offer this unique experience!

Seeing the Word: Sacred Ordinary Days is a contemplative prayer practice based on illuminations from the St John’s Bible. These images bring to life passages from Scripture, helping us to engage with the Word, encounter the Divine, and enact the Message in our daily lives.
As we journey through this season of “Ordinary Time,” we will explore stories of origin, cultivation, abundance and faith through guided reflection. As we listen with “the ears of our heart” (lectio divina) and look through “the eyes of our heart” (visio divina), the illuminations from the Saint John’s Bible draw us further into contemplative prayer.
From previous participants – “I gained more of a personal relationship to the words of the readings through the art (ie: illuminations) than I would have by just viewing the art by itself.” “The illuminations provide beautiful material to ponder and discuss in community.”
Please register online by July 13th: https://tinyurl.com/RHtheWord, or by email to info@retreathousehillsboro.org

Heather Hall is a graduate of Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, an ecumenical
and multi-faith program. She is a lifelong learner and seeker who graduated from
Education for Ministry and JustFaith. While living in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather was
active with St Mary’s Episcopal Church, where she led Adult Education – developing
and facilitating classes, workshops and retreats – and Outreach programs. Born and
raised in Maryland, where she taught college and started her career in
environmental science, Heather recently returned to the Shore to establish her
encore career as a life coach, spiritual director and storyteller through arts & crafts.
Email: heather@discoverwithheather.com

Sacred Ground: A Film-based Dialogue on Race and Faith
2021-09-14 16:00 - 18:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
6 Tuesdays – September 14 and 28 – October 12 and 26 – November 9 and 23
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Via Zoom
The Retreat House, in collaboration with Holy Trinity Oxford, invites you to join us in Sacred Ground, a curriculum that is part of the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. The core of this series is the vision of beloved community – where all people are honored and protected and nurtured as beloved children of God.

This opportunity invites us to read, watch and learn about the history of race and racism in America, while grounded in our call to faith, hope, and love. We will explore together this online curriculum, a sensitive, prayerful resource that creates space for respectful and transformative dialogue. Our focus will be on Indigenous, Black, Latino and Asian/Pacific American peoples as their histories’ intersect with European American history, and the impact of all of it on our world today.

We will watch documentaries and read articles to help inform us before gathering for conversation on six Tuesday afternoons via Zoom. Learning together can help us peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day and reveal the origins of the inequities that are deeply embedded in our communities today.

The Episcopal Church and Katrina Browne (the director of the documentary Traces of the Trade) have developed this rich series as part of The Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community which is its long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation and justice.

A suggested donation of $75 is requested but all are welcome regardless of payment amount. Register here.

Why Sacred Ground? This National Church anti-racism program is sacred ground because we walk into painful history, our society’s and our own, accompanied by God and by each other. It is more than reading the books or watching the documentaries that are its “course material,” life-changing though those may be. This is spiritual formation. We do the exploring work rooted in our spiritual life and expect to be changed in the work.

Once you register, we will send you the Zoom meeting link.

Creative Spirit
2021-09-18 10:00 - 15:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Saturday, Sept 18th, 10 am to 3 pm
With Heather Hall
Onsite at the Retreat House at Hillsboro Our souls speak many languages: words, sights, sounds, textures, rhythms and movement, to name just a few. While writers, composers, artists and performers may speak these languages more eloquently, we all have Creative Spirit. Learn to access your Creative Spirit and discover the message God is sharing with you! Let’s release expectations, play and be curious for a day. This retreat is a safe space to come together to discover and embrace the Creative Spirit within each of us. During this retreat, we’ll explore: storytelling, visual arts, lyrics & poetry, music & voice, and the body in motion. No experience necessary. Creative Spirit will take place inside the Retreat House and on the beautiful grounds at Hillsboro (weather depending), following COVID-safe procedures. A light lunch, coffee, tea and water will be provided. A suggested donation of $40 will be gratefully accepted; however, please don’t let finances keep you from attending. Please register online by Wednesday, Sept 15th. Or, by email to retreathousehillsboro.org. Register at https://tinyurl.com/RHfallCS

Retreat Leader: Heather Hall is graduate of Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, an ecumenical and multi-faith program. She is a lifelong learner and seeker who graduated from Education for Ministry and JustFaith. While living in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather was active with St Mary’s Episcopal Church, where she led Adult Education – developing and facilitating classes, workshops and retreats – and Outreach programs. Born and raised in Maryland, where she taught college and started her career in environmental science, Heather recently returned to the Shore to establish her encore career as a leadership coach, spiritual director and storyteller through arts & crafts. Email: heather@discoverwithheather.com

Autumn Quiet Day: Release, Rest, Renewal
2021-09-30 09:30 - 14:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Thursday, September 30, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm
With Julia Morris-Myers
Take in the early fall beauty unfolding around us on the grounds of the Retreat House. We’ll enjoy the freedom of open space and the opportunity to explore and experience Sabbath as we invite release, rest, and renewal. Our Autumn Quiet Day will offer time for journaling, silence, time outdoors, and gentle conversation. As we settle into the peace of nature in our midst, we’ll explore scripture readings and poetry as inspirations for our own lives and as discernment for what the Spirit might be calling us to notice. What am I called to release in order to make space for rest and to receive the renewal that awaits? How is Sabbath invited this autumn day?
IN-PERSON QUIET DAY – Register at https://tinyurl.com/RHQDfall, or by contacting us at info@retreathousehillsboro.org. This gathering will take place inside the Retreat House and on the beautiful grounds, practicing COVID safe protocols. A light breakfast and lunch will be served. A suggested donation of $40 per person will be gratefully accepted and a portion of the proceeds is used for program scholarships. Please don’t let finances keep you from attending!

ABOUT THE RETREAT LEADER: Julia Morris-Myers loves discovering the sacred in relaxed conversation and everyday life. She is a musician, teacher and spiritual director on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she lives with her husband and assorted pets. Julia is the Director of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Centreville and has certificates in leading groups and in spiritual direction from the Shalem Institute in Washington, DC, and Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, MD.

Time Among the Trees
2021-10-02 13:00 - 16:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
“It’s not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts,
as for that subtle something, that quality of air,
that emanation for old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit”
Robert Lewis Stevenson
This early fall retreat on the grounds of the Retreat House invites an afternoon of quiet
reflection and healing.
On a day to day basis we may walk among trees and never really sense their energy and
how we are nourished and supported by them. Trees are more than sticks in the ground and our ability to connect with them in a quiet reflective way can add much to our life.
Join with Mary Anne La Torre and others for an afternoon of meditation and reflection among the beautiful, mature trees at the Retreat House. We will explore simple meditative
practices and have an opportunity to touch into the energy of the earth, the dynamic life beneath us, as well as sit mindfully among the trees and be nourished by them. There will be opportunities for breathing and awareness exercises and conversation.
While the suggested donation is $40 per person, please don’t let finances keep you from attending.
Register online here, https://tinyurl.com/RHTrees, or send an email to info@retreathouseshillsboro.org

Retreat Leader: Mary Anne La Torre is an R.N. with a M.A. in psychiatric nursing and training in acupressure, reiki, homeopathy, flower essences and essential oils. For 30 years, Mary Anne has had a private counseling practice, consolidating these approaches with various wellness and stress management techniques, including meditative and breathing techniques for use in nature.

Re-imagining Prayer: Women’s Weekend Retreat 2021
2021-10-08 18:30 - 2021-10-10 13:00 | Foehliage Retreat Center, 31450 Sassafras River Ave, Galena, MD, 21635
Friday, October 8 – Sunday, October 10
The Retreat House at Hillsboro is pleased to host this weekend retreat led by Linda Mastro at The Foehliage in Galena, Maryland.

“These are some of the things that prayer is. Prayer is rhythm. Prayer is comfort. Prayer is disappointment. Prayer is words and shape and art around desperation, and delight and disappointment and desire. Prayer can be the art that helps you name your desire.”
~ Padraig O Tuama
Sink into the beauty of fall as we explore prayer practices that invite us to a new relationship with God, with ourselves, and with the people in our lives. During our time together we will find renewal in the lodging and meals provided as we enjoy an environment inviting deep listening and heartfelt response. We will have opportunities for conversation, silence, movement, and contemplation. Explore at your own pace – body prayer, journaling, lectio divina, walking meditation, and other experiences that bring our bodies, minds, and spirits into the act of authentic prayer.

Please register by September 25th. For more about the retreat, with information about how to reserve your space and to register – https://tinyurl.com/RHretreat. Or, contact us at info@retreathousehillsboro.org.

MORE ABOUT THE RETREAT
We will gather at The Foehliage Retreat Center in Galena, Maryland, on Friday afternoon. Dinner will be at 6:30 pm, followed by a brief gathering to set the tone for the weekend. Participants will be encouraged to spend the evening in silence. On Saturday, the program will flow in and out of silence, with plenty of time for journaling, walking on the beautiful grounds, quiet reflection, and conversation. The retreat will close on Sunday morning with a prayer service and brunch.
ABOUT THE VENUE
The Foehliage, located in Kent County, Maryland, is an intimate retreat center where guests can enjoy the beauty of nature, the flow of the Sassafras river, and glorious autumn sunrises and sunsets. Our hosts Gene and Suzanne Foehl exemplify hospitality with delicious homemade meals, comfortable sleeping rooms, and an assortment of inside and outside spaces in which to rest, reflect and explore the retreat themes. To see photos of the facility and more information about The Foehliage, please visit their website.

Note on Covid protocols: The Foehliage Retreat Center asks that all guests be fully vaccinated. Mask wearing on-site is optional. Please be mindful of community by participating without any signs of illness.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND COSTS
Single rooms – $395 per person Shared rooms – $345 per person. Rates include the retreat program, 2 dinners, 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 brunch, snacks, beverages, linens, and turn-down service. A limited number of single rooms are available on a 1st come, 1st served basis.
TO REGISTER
To reserve your space, please send a $100 deposit by August 15, 2021. Final payment for holding a space must be received by September 10. Register (here), or mail your check to – The Retreat House, P.O. Box 3, Hillsboro MD 21641.
ABOUT THE RETREAT LEADER LINDA MASTRO
is a graduate and on the faculty of the Bon Secours Spiritual Direction Institute in Marriottsville, MD. Linda serves in liturgical ministry at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Easton and is a spiritual guide for individuals and groups. Linda is a graduate of the University of Delaware and the Maryland University of Integrative Health. A life coach, retreat leader and professional writer, Linda is co-author of the book Petite Retreats: Renewing Body, Mind, and Spirit without Leaving Home. Linda lives in Easton, Maryland. Learn more about Linda at livingpilgrimage.com.

For more information, please contact us:
Retreat Program Linda Mastro at (410) 829-4309. Lodging, logistics, and scholarship availability – Heather Strang at (443) 995-3820

A Poetry Reading with Steve Garnaas-Holmes
2021-11-18 19:00 | Trinity Cathedral, 315 Goldsborough St, Easton, MD, 21601, United States
In-person and via Zoom held at Trinity Cathedral in Easton, Maryland.
Steve shares about his work, his prayer, and his poetry brought to us as Unfolding Light – “Unfolding Light is a daily reflection rooted in a contemplative, Creation-centered spirituality, often inspired by my daily walk in the woods. In poems, parables, psalms, thoughts and the odd weather report I hope to invite readers into a spirit of presence, compassion, justice and delight. Though these writings are rooted in the Christian story you’ll hear in them melodies of many traditions. Unfolding Light is for anyone who wants to be a part of God’s healing of the world.”
Enjoy Steve’s “Love Poem to God” (here).
This gathering is a Retreat House fundraiser. We are deeply grateful for your donations. More below*.
A note on Covid protocols for this event can be found (here).
Register for in-person here.
Register for Zoom here.
*A note on this Retreat House fundraiser – Being the Retreat House is made whole by welcoming each of us into every gathering that we offer, no matter what our financial situation at the time. This event is no different. We are deeply grateful for your donation and your participation in supporting our operations. Community donations such as these are the only source of our funding. Your presence is always a gift to this community. For more information, please contact heather@retreathousehillsboro.org

A Weekend Retreat with Steve Garnaas-Holmes
2021-11-19 08:00 - 2021-11-21 17:00 | Foehliage Retreat Center, 31450 Sassafras River Ave, Galena, MD, 21635
Writing as a Spiritual Discipline
Friday, November 19th – Sunday, November 21th
At The Foehliage Retreat Center in Galena, Maryland

The Foehliage is pleased to offer this in-person weekend retreat with Steve Garnaas-Holmes whose transformative prayer and poetry infuses his readers with gentle inspiration. Steve’s site Unfolding Light shares daily reflections with individuals and communities near and far. A grace-filled weekend of listening, exploring, quiet, and beauty awaits at The Foehliage on the shore of the Sassafras River in Galena, Maryland, approximately 50 miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Join Steve as he guides us this weekend – “Writing can be a spiritual discipline, if we let go of trying to write something “good” (especially when we label it “poetry!”). I often say poetry is 90% paying attention and 10% taking really good notes. Writing as a spiritual discipline is about the paying attention part. It’s not really about writing; it’s a form of prayer; it’s praying with a pencil. No one needs to hear it except ourselves. But sometimes we don’t even hear ourselves until we say it, or write it. In this retreat we’ll experience several different modes of writing as forms of listening, including journaling, poetry, “found prayers,” and biblical fan fiction.”
The Foehliage offers this retreat with limited attendance providing spaciousness for Covid-safe practices, mindfulness toward social distancing, and generous opportunities for being outside, weather permitting. The cost of the retreat is $325 and includes accommodations and all meals. Ample private rooms are available.
Note on Covid protocols: The Foehliage Retreat Center asks that all guests be fully vaccinated; mask wearing on-site is optional. Exceptional hospitality is the objective of the Foehliage. The health and safety of all guests is at the center of that intention. In these unprecedented times, we encourage all to consider their health and the wellbeing of others by participating without any signs of illness. We will happily refund a good faith registration fee to anyone who becomes ill and decides not to attend the retreat so as not to be a risk to others.
This event has filled quickly. We encourage you to join the waiting list below in the event of cancellations. For more information, please contact heather@retreathousehillsboro.org or to join the waitlist click here.

MORE ABOUT STEVE GARNAAS-HOLMES – “I’m a retired United Methodist pastor. My wife Beth and I live in Maine. We have three grown sons whom I love dearly. I served churches for 40 years in Montana and New England. I’ve also lived in South Dakota, California, Washington and Minnesota. I often lead retreats on prayer, poetry and renewing our language about God. I used to write and perform with the Montana Logging & Ballet Company, a quartet that did music and comedy around the country, but people laughed us off the stage so after 37 years we quit. I write a lot of church music. I am trying to be here now.”

Simple Silence by the River
2021-12-03 08:00 - 2021-12-05 17:00 | Foehliage Retreat Center, 31450 Sassafras River Ave, Galena, MD, 21635
A Weekend Retreat with Francie Thayer at The Foehliage Retreat Center Galena, Maryland
This Advent, we invite you to step out of the world for a moment and invite a time of stillness. Come spend some time remembering that God is not far off. Indeed, come spend open-hearted time noticing just how near God is.
Our invitation this weekend is to step out of the world’s stories and notice God’s stories
that enfold us each day—in the ground beneath our feet, the canopy of limbs over our
head, the chair offered to us, the unspoken kindness of the person serving us tea.
Sometimes being in silence can remind us of a sacredness of life that we don’t fully see
with the sound turned up. Like other silent retreats, we will begin by sharing dinner and
conversation. Our retreat leader will offer inspiration and guidance before we go off to
bed, beginning our silent weekend in community. Saturday will be a day of silence and
rest—no organized programming, just space and time to be and let be. As we gather for
brunch on Sunday, we will once again share conversation and any gifts that may have
risen during the weekend. Come, and for a time, turn down the sound of the world. Bring
a friend! This retreat invites both men and women.
REGISTER AT – https://tinyurl.com/RHdec3-5, or by contacting us at info@retreathousehillsboro.org. This gathering will take place at The Foehliage Retreat Center, in Galena, Maryland. Read (here) about the Covid-safe protocols for this retreat. The cost for this retreat is $299 and includes lodging and meals.

FRANCIE THAYER is the Director of the Retreat House at Hillsboro and received her training in spiritual guidance at The Shalem Institute in Washington DC. A life-long Episcopalian, she received a Masters Degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2014. She lives in Galena, MD with her husband where their three adult children love to visit.

Gathering of the Greens
2021-12-05 13:00 - 16:00 | The Retreat House, 22005 Church Street, Hillsboro, MD, 21641, United States
Join us for a festive day enjoying the outdoors while creating a lovely hand-made wreath or swag from Retreat House greenery, including American Redwood, Magnolia, Holly, Boxwood, and White Pine. We’ll stay warm with a cup of hot cider and a wood fire. During your time, enjoy browsing our Sacristy Bookshop in St. Paul’s Church. We hope to see you there!
