may2016calendarkirkridge.indd 3 5/18/16 3:55 pma letter of recommendation from a therapist must...

Experiencing the Sacred, Wrestling with Evil: Our and Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Journeys: Matthew Fox June 24th – June 26th

Matthew Fox is an accomplished author of books such as Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, Stations of the Cosmic Christ, A Way to God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey, and many others.

In this workshop, we will spend one session on each book. We will also undergo the practice of praying the Stations of the Cosmic Christ along with other practices to help deepen our own spiritual journeys in developing the Cosmic Christ within ourselves.

Cost $425 includes double occupancy room, board and tuition

Storyline: Jeff CreswellJune 27th – July 1st

The Storyline approach is an essentially experiential and constructivist method. This approach poses problems and asks questions of pupils rather than giving them answers to questions they have never asked. The pupils and the teacher explore ideas together. It draws the curriculum together using the environment and social subjects as a stimulus to explore and using expressive arts and language as a means of discussing, describing, and explaining. Research and reference skills are extended as pupils are encouraged to search for answers and informa-tion in various ways – orally, technologically, and by use of databases and the study of books, posters and photographs.

Cost: $685 includes double occupancy room, board and tuition

Creative Seeing, Creative Being: Diving Deep into Our Wells of Wisdom: Jan Phillips July 12th – July 14th

This retreat will give us a chance to create and recreate ourselves using the beautiful landscape at Kirkridge as our inspiration. We will explore every avenue for creative expression – we will take photos, write, sing, share, and be amazed together at the beauty of the earth and the beauty of our selves. Water, woods, mountains, and rocks will guide us as metaphors that give power to our po-etry, our imagery, our stories, and our souls.


A Kirkridge Women’s Retreat: Becoming the Queen of Your Own Real-Life Faerie Tale: Anita Bondi and Denise Crawn July 29th – July 31st

What if we have been living the real-life fairy tale all along? What if happily ever after exists here and now? What if the Queen within is fully present and all we need to do is recognize her?

During this retreat weekend we will use art, song, poetry, movement, nature, ritual and much needed time alone to release, renew and reclaim our sovereignty. We will come together as a community of women to witness, support and welcome each woman into her own personal kingdom.


Leaping Upon the Mountains: Mike Lew and Thom Harrigan August 12th – August 14th

This weekend workshop is for non-offending adult male survivors of sexual child abuse, rape, physi-cal violence, emotional abuse and/or neglect. Our goal is to offer a safe, encouraging environment of healing.

The weekend will provide a variety of healing activi-ties, including the sharing of stories, writing exer-cises, anger work and other emotional expressions, small group discussion, relaxation and, yes, even fun. This event is for men who are actively engaged in recovery work; it is not a substitute for therapy.

A letter of recommendation from a therapist must accompany the registration form/deposit. The registration deadline for this event is July 29th.


Sisterly Conversations 2016: Nurturing Our Spirits – Sharing Our Sacred Practices: Mary E. HuntSeptember 9th – September 11th

Sisterly Conservations 2016 is a welcome chance to come and acknowledge the intimate connections of spirituality and sexuality and the ways in which our lesbian/queer/bi/trans lives (and those of our allies, too) reflect the unique and powerful experiences we share.

On this retreat, plan on experiencing spirituality, discussing important issues both personal and professional, and enjoying meals, walks, music and rituals.

New for Sisterly Conversations 2016: Women wanting to spend more time at Kirkridge are wel-come to arrive on Thursday any time after 1:00 PM. Optional small group activities will be offered for both Thursday evening and Friday throughout the day. See website for more details.


$80 for the optional additional time (Thursday af-ternoon through Friday afternoon). Call to register for the extra night. Registrations for the weekend can be made online.

Opening the Heart Box and Listening to Your Heart Songs: Dr. Juanita Kirton, Eileen Seiler and Emily Thompson September 16th – September 18th

QuillEssence Writing Collective consist of a small group of woman, who believe that women writers of all genres and levels deserve safe space and time to listen to their authentic voice and write about their hearts’ desires. We will discover together through writing exercises, prompts, breathing, music, and the power of words. The retreat is created in a supportive environment to encourage participants to explore their inner passions and dreams. Writing will be done in large and small groups. Feedback and sharing will focus on what is effective in each piece.


Poetry and the Genuine: Now I Become Myself: Amira, Eva, Kathleen & Michael Glaser September 23rd – September 25th

Using a variety of techniques taken from Writing Seminars, Circle of Trust groups, the Alexander Technique, and Dance/Movement Therapy, this retreat will provide tools for each of us to better un-derstand how and when we move between being “centered” and “off-center.” Additionally, we hope to show how recognizing our present-moment experience can serve us in discovering our genuine voice and expression as we write our poems and share our stories.

The four of us have found that our individual work is powerfully connected and our various approach-es toward discovering our whole selves can lead to a more easeful and genuine expression of both our authentic person and our unique writing voice.


Beginnings, Endings and that Place In-Between: A Women’s SoulCollage® Retreat: Sally Freed and Laurie SmithSeptember 30th – October 2nd

Autumn is a perfect season to reflect upon transitions of the heart, body, mind and soul, and discover how the Earth might have something to teach us about change. We’ll explore the blessings and the challenges we often experience in times of change and transition through conversation, reflec-tion, and ritual. Open to women of all ages! There will be opportunities to enjoy down time and for outdoor play and exploration. Nourish your spirit at Kirkridge, a place of openness, welcome, beauty, hospitality, and creativity.

Cost: $400 includes double occupancy room, board, tuition and supplies

Let Your Life Speak, Listen to the Sound of Other Lives: Patti Smith and Jennifer Brooks-QuinnOctober 14th - October 16th

This weekend will inspire us toward embracing important life transitions and deepening dialogue with friends, colleagues, and family. Humans expe-rience life cycles – reflecting nature’s own rhythms of day, week, month, year, decade, and century. Come tune into seven year phrases to get a deeper understanding of your destiny, where we will map the encounters in our lives, hold seminar meetings, have transformative experiences, and, perhaps, remember forgotten stories from our past. We will also practice the art of listening and engage in artistic exercises that will engage conversation and allow us to grow meaningful relationships.


Healing What Grieves You: Julie Lange Groth October 21st – October 23rd

This workshop will help you identify where you may be carrying grief and help you work with it on a spiritual level to bring peace and healing in all areas of your life. Working within a circle of safety and openness, we will use guided meditation to the beat of a drum, time spent in nature, ceremony, creative expression, and sharing to acknowledge and release what grieves us with intention and awareness.

Cost $365 double occupancy room and board

Julie is graciously donating her time to lead this workshop. All proceeds benefit Kirkridge.

Thomas Merton’s Lessons of Peace and Nonviolence: John DearOctober 28th – October 30th

Nobel Peace Prize nominee John Dear will lead us in a weekend retreat on the life and teachings of Thomas Merton, the well-known monk, author and peacemaker. During the weekend, John will offer reflections on Merton’s writings and teach-ings in light of Gospel nonviolence, to deepen our understanding of prayer, contemplation, peace-making, activism, peace, hope, love and life. We’ll have time for small and large group discussion, quiet time, journaling, social time, worship, and community-building. Together, we’ll let Merton guide us forward on our own journey of contempla-tive peacemaking to the life of peace and the God of peace.


Seven Gifts: Poetry as a Pathway for Renewal: John Fox December 9th - 11th

In this Friday evening talk and weekend retreat, John will lead us on a journey that names “seven gifts” of renewal given to us by poetry and poem-making. The intention is to serve as encouragement and catalyst for your vocation and personal journey.

The retreat will include gentle, evocative and poignant writing prompts that will reveal to us these gifts. No prior experience with poem-making is necessary—and “beginner’s mind” is welcomed among all participants.


Cost for all Kirkridge Retreats include room, board and registration. No hidden costs and we work hard to have scholarships available.

www.kirkridge.org 2495 Fox Gap Road Bangor, Pennsylvania 18013 610.588.1793

U P C O M I N G E v E N T S

2016 - 2017

2016 Oct 7-9 Gay Men’s Event

2017

March 10-12 Carolyn McDade

March 31-April 2, 2017 Ysaye Barnwell

June 20-22 John Bell

Oct 4-8 Bread for the Journey Mark Nepo, Michael Glaser and others

May2016CalendarKirkridge.indd 1 5/18/16 3:54 PM

Do you seek m

iracles?listen - godraw

water, hew

wood

break stones-how

miraculous!

Listen; blessed is the onew

ho walks the earth 5 year, 50 years, 80 years

and deceives no oneand curses no oneand kills no oneO

n such a onethe angels w

hisper in wonder,

behold the irresistible power

of natural powers-

of height, of joy, of soul, of non-belittling!

— D

aniel Berrigan

Idon’thavetoprovemylife.Ijusthavetoliveit.

- Daniel Berrigan

Fr. Dan Berrigan died just short of his 95th birthday. Dan Berrigan was an award-winning poet, Jesuit priest, advocate for the LGBT community, and dedicated his life to non-violence and peace. Dan had a long relationship with Kirkridge. He found sanctuary here in the late 1960’s, annually came here for personal renewal with the brothers in his community and, for decades, was a retreat leader along with his brother Phil, and Liz McAlister. Once asked in a public interview who his heroes were, Dan responded, “I do not believe in heroes, I believe in community.” In his life, Fr. Dan Berrigan found community here and many of Kirkridge found community with Fr. Dan Berrigan.

Throughout my time living and working at Kirkridge, I have been blessed to experience rich community. I watch people come as strangers and leave as companions on life’s journey. Relationships form here that are sustaining and life-giving. Bonds and movements that coura-geously work for change are created around the table at meals. Community forms when our minds are challenged during programs, when our hearts are held on walks, and when we dare to speak our truth with one another. At Kirkridge we do not have to prove anything. We are offered the gift of taking a deep breath and living our lives as our true selves – and from those gifts, the precious gift of community emerges.

Kirkridge is fast moving toward its 75th anniversary. I cannot end this reflection without sharing with you that Kirkridge is becoming an endangered species. Just last week, I heard of another Canadian center closing. If you believe, like I do, that places like Kirkridge are critical to our common welfare, I hope that you will think seriously about supporting the future of Kirkridge. The death of Fr. Dan Berrigan has caused me to pause on more than one occasion the difference Kirkridge has made our common history. As a board member recently said, “It is not that we have been here 75 years, it is what we have done in the 75 years that we have

been here.”

In gratitude for our common work,

Jean Richardson


TIP: Together It’s PossibleWe are proud to announce that TIP was awarded the Distinguished Service award for 2016 from The Arc of Lehigh and Northamp-ton Counties. This marks the first time the award has been given to a group and not an individual! Last year we sold nearly $7,000 worth of our original glass products. While location may prevent you from joining us in making the glass, no matter where you live you can help us sell it!

As the US National Parks

celebrate their 100th

anniversary, your Board

of Trustees in our recent meeting

looked to these treasures for impor-

tant lessons as Kirkridge turns 74. Of

course, we are not a national park;

that would take an Act of Congress!

Rather, we love the fact that we are

not federal property; indeed Kirkridge

is not owned by anyone. The Board

realized in this recent meeting that

we have moved from the motto of

“Picket and Pray” that served us well

for at least the first half-century into

our Executive Director Jean Richard-

son’s vision that we are a national

park for the soul. As we look for lan-

guage that clearly articulates our new

narrative as we move into our 75th

year, we turn to the words of Parker

Palmer. Parker’s work with Circles of

The School at Kirkridge:Voices of children are now heard dai-ly on the mountain. We completed our first year honoring the inner creative spirit of each child

and offering a new model for educa-tion. We are learning, along with the children, the best model of school to offer and are gently, along with parents, finding our way.

Trust and Courage to Teach and Courage

to Lead has become an umbrella for all

of what is happening at Kirkridge as we

understand the importance of creating

space for the soul to show up. Parker

writes in A Hidden Wholeness:

• We know how to create spaces that

invite the intellect to show up… and the

emotions… and the will...

• We certainly know how to invite the

ego to put in an appearance, polishing

its image, protecting its turf and de-

manding its rights: they can be found

wherever we go!

• But we know very little about creat-

ing spaces that invite the soul to make

itself known. Apart from the natural

world, such spaces are hard to find –

and we seem to place little value on

preserving the soul spaces in nature.

Yes, this thin place we call Kirkridge is

indeed a national park for the soul.

— Sally Hare

Contact Jean Richardson for more information at [email protected].

From our Board Chair

may2016calendarkirkridge.indd 3 5/18/16 3:55 pma letter of recommendation from a therapist must...

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