Setting up for a Retreat Weekend

This worksheet is prepared to help in setting up for a one overnight weekend, starting Saturday morning and finishing late Sunday afternoon.  

Facilities

-Witness room. Large enough for 3 or 4 round tables (42" in diameter), open space in front of room, rectangular table in back.  MUST BE AVAILABLE FRIDAY APPROX 6 PM UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT.

-Chapel.  A room to use as small prayer chapel; seating all participants and team comfortably; Blessed Sacrament in the room if permitted; if lighting is fluorescent, please procure lamps; decorate space to support prayer and reflection.  MUST BE AVAILABLE FRIDAY APPROX 6 PM UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT.  It is helpful to be close to the witness room.

-Sleeping Rooms.  Appropriate rooms for participants and team to sleep in. Window shades for appropriate privacy; space for cot/mat and chair for each person. If needed, may be vacated for Sunday morning religious education.

-Bathrooms.  Needed are toilets and sinks for use by all on weekend. If there are few sinks, perhaps change all rest rooms to accommodate one gender (all men or all women) for weekend use. Please be sensitive to have enough bathroom supplies for weekend use by participants, team and others who use facilities. Showers are optional.

-Dining area and kitchen.  Meal times for team and participants:  Saturday 1:15 PM and 6:45 PM; Sunday:  7:30 AM, 3:00 PM (special meal).  Normal schedule for this team formation weekend does not permit team members to prepare meals.  Help outside the team is needed. Snacks should be generally available during the weekend.

Recommend simple, non-gaseous meals.  May be different simple menus for men and women weekends. On late Friday and Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, there is a need for special snacks. Appropriate snacks might be cookies, pizza, simple sandwiches, fruit, soft drinks, juices, cheese tray, coffee, decaf, tea.  We do not recommend alcoholic beverages.  Because these snacks are scheduled late night, team members can serve these snacks after directions from kitchen people.     

-Break Area.  Weekend needs a break area.  If kitchen is close to witness room, that can be used.  Otherwise, prefer a table or two in hall outside the witness room, with coffee, decaf, tea, maybe cookies, fruit, etc. for breaks.                                    

-Team room.  Small room with table or desk space to store help letters discreetly and other supplies.  Not a sleeping room.

-Rooms for reconciliation.  Needed Saturday 7:30 PM-11:30 PM.

Need softer lighting - lamps. 

NOTE:  Please be sensitive to make proper adjustments to school bells, heat on/off times, and air conditioning units.

Equipment

-Chapel.  Needs Blessed Sacrament if permitted, soft lighting (lamps), vestments for weekend liturgy, chairs for all on weekend, parish songbooks, candles and crosses for reconciliation rooms, and stoles for confessors.

-Witness Room.  Needs lectern, a place to write announcements if needed (blackboard, whiteboard, large Post-It), a round table for each table leader, chairs for all (cushioned are helpful), 6' or 8' rectangular table for directors, and music player.  Also needs a processional Bible, six 5 or 7 day vigil light candles, and large crucifix/cross.

Materials

-For participants and team.  Inexpensive New Testament for all participants and team for all to keep.  Old Testament/Psalms not normally required. Recommended: New American Bible or Good News Translation New Testament.

Important Note:  There is great value in each participant and each team member having the same edition/translation of the Scripture for use on the weekend – so only page numbers may be announced, minimizing searching for readings by book/chapter/verse for new Christians.

-Nametags. pin on nametags best; two colors - one for team and one for participants. Folder with notebook paper and pen for all participants and team. An envelope (9"x13") for each participant and team members; stored in supply room and used for HELP letters.

-Replaceable supplies.  For each table in witness room; one 5 or 7 day vigil light, one box of Kleenex, one set of magic markers, candy and one lighting taper. General supplies on back table; 5-10 sheets of newsprint or poster paper, pack of matches, two rolls of masking tape, a supply of aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Tums, antacid, shaving needs, female needs, toothpaste, combs, etc., for emergencies.

Confessors

Please discuss with team leader helping your parish start Christ Renews.  Generally, need minimum one confessor for every five participants.  Confessors should be asked to arrive Saturday night either 9 or 9:30 p.m. Time may fluctuate based on availability of priests.                                                                              

Prayer Support    

Prayer support cannot be emphasized enough.  Prayer support can be chapel prayer support or general/personal written prayer support. Recommend that one core team member work specifically on prayer support.

General Prayer Support. To be read out loud to all on Sunday morning. Addressed to all men or women on the weekend.  Give sufficient notice to allow written responses by those whom you ask to write.

  • Call/write local Catholic and Christian churches and ask for prayer and HELP letters.

  • Ask your bishop to pray for the renewal weekend and write a letter to all the people on the weekend.

  • Talk to leaders in parish school and religious education program.  Ask them to pray and have kids write letters, make banners, posters, etc., showing their prayer support.  Feel free to be innovative.

  • Parish organizations.  Prayer letter from each parish organization.

  • Other Christian churches in your area, local politicians, local Christian athletes.

  • Former pastors/clergy/sisters, etc.

  • Senior citizens club, shut-in people, young mothers.

Personal prayer support. MOST IMPORTANT!  Must have prayer support for each participant from those who are closest to them.  Addressed to participant by name. 

  • Spouses, parents, children of participants. 

  • Friends of participants.

  • Parish staff.

  • Co-workers.

  • Work extra hard on HELP for pastor, clergy, sisters, etc.  Contact family, classmates, friends, etc.

  • Sponsoring prayer families for each participant.

NOTE:  All prayer support needed by 9 a.m. Sunday morning.  Weekend facilitator will sort for proper distribution.