Once again, the congregation of Reedville drove to the Harbor Villa Retreat Center in Rockaway Beach on the weekend of October 14 to enjoy the sights and sounds of surf and sand. We had an excellent turnout of 33 members and friends, leaving just 14 to keep church open back at Reedville.
The camaraderie at the beach was fabulous, with a group of ladies sharing a bunk room and teenage girls in another. Families, couples and others had rooms of their own. Lessons were mixed with food and beach activities. A highlight was the evening bonfire where participants each threw in a piece of driftwood having a special meaning for their life. Finally as the retreat drew to a close, the campers gathered around a communion table for worship. After that it was time to sweep out the rooms and pack up. The time was all too short.
Lesson time was based on a book, My Beautiful Broken Shell, exploring how we deal with the pain and sorrow that comes into our lives and how to understand the pain of others. The campers were each given an ornament in which to collect sand, small shells or seaweed to remind them of these lessons. They also collected and decorated the driftwood fragments for the bonfire.
It was a wonderful time to be remembered and talked about for many days to come and with lessons to truly heal our lives going forward.
