Retreat: Advent

Service Description

Make Ready – An Advent Quiet Day For St Francis, Christmas was the Feast of Feasts, the one that reminded him of the day when God became a little baby and lived a simple, humble, and joyous life that awakened faith slumbering in human hearts. For centuries, people all over the world “make ready” for Christmas by setting up manger scenes just as St Francis recreated the birth of Jesus in a cave in 1223, in Greccio, Italy with an ox, a donkey and a crib. This Advent Quiet Day is about remembering the gift of God in Bethlehem, the gift of St Francis and the Christmas creche and an invitation to ‘make ready’ to receive these gifts and to offer gifts of peace, hope and joy to the world. Now more than ever, with a world torn by division and violence and suffering under increasing climate disasters, we need to hear the songs of the angels and run with hope and anticipation to kneel before the God who comes again and again to be with us. Come away from rush and hurry and revel in a gently paced day, with times for meditation and sharing, reading poetry or coloring mandalas, walking and praying on the beautiful campus. Come spend time with Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise ones and angels in “making ready” for the Feast of Feasts. Details 9:30-2:30pm $40 for the day Bring lunch Minimum of 5 people, max of 20 Facilitated by Larry Peacock Larry Peacock is the former Director of Franciscan Spiritual Center, a retired United Methodist pastor and author of The Living Nativity – Preparing for Christmas with St Francis and Openings – A Daybook of Saints, Sages, Psalms and Prayer Practices. (Both books will be available for a a discount at the retreat). While at FSC, he led pilgrimages to Assisi, (including the cave at Greccio) and the Camino de Santiago. He has collected 80 creches from around the world and usually finds places to put all of them up for Christmas.

Contact Details

• 3159 Furman Drive, Marylhurst, OR, USA

  + 503-794-8542

  info@francisspctr.com