ST. ANSELMS' WOMEN'S RETREAT IS BACK!

Over the first weekend of March this year (March 2-4) women of St. Anselm's will gather for fellowship, prayer, and reflection at Mercy Center in Burlingame. This retreat has become a much anticipated annual tradition.

This year the theme of the retreat is "The God We Know"; it builds on ideas taken from Marcus Borg's book The God We Never Knew. Borg writes about how, for many Christians, the images of God that they first knew as a child linger throughout life. These early images of God shape our relationship with God and people in important ways--- for better or worse. He suggests that it is worth our time to examine these images, where they come from, and how they influence us. This will be the project for the retreat. Of course, we will have our usual Friday night hors d'oeuvres and sharing, Saturday afternoon time for walking the labyrinth, wandering the grounds, bookstore browsing, and freedom to share, knit, read, or rest as needed. Participants may participate in Sunday Eucharist in the Mercy chapel.

Participants are asked to read chapters one and three of Borg's book prior to the retreat, if possible. It can be purchased from Amazon or Barnes and Noble for about $14.00 in paperback.

Participants may arrive anytime after 4:00 PM on Friday; we leave about 11:30 AM on Sunday. Carpools from St. Anselm's will be arranged. The cost of the weekend to participants is $125 which should be paid to Carol Fontana as soon as possible. (The cost of the weekend to St. Anselm's is $240 per person. Donations toward offsetting these expenses are gratefully received. Please make a note on your check.) The cost includes all meals from Friday supper through Sunday breakfast, coffee and tea throughout the day, and all bedding and towels. Participants need only bring comfortable clothes, toiletries, and reading/knitting/writing materials.

Questions about the retreat or requests for carpools? Call Katie McGovern at 925-708-1987. Please make your payments early so we can confirm our numbers with Mercy Center.

ANNOUNCING!

The Women's Retreat Restricted Fund for Retreat Scholarships

The Christian Formation Commission is pleased to announce the formation of the Women's Retreat Restricted Fund for retreat scholarships.  We hope that this fund will give all St. Anselm's women access to the annual Women's Retreat.

The weekend retreat is a nourishing and affirming experience for many participants. If you or someone you care about benefits from retreat experiences, consider making a small donation to this fund. The fund is also a place to honor women in our lives through memorial gifts. In making a gift, please note Women's Retreat Fund on the memo line.