By Beki Greenwood
“Mom, where are you going this weekend?” my teenage son asked me as I was packing up my car on a Friday in April. “Nate, I’m going to the Adult Retreat in Duxbury, remember?” and his response was “Oh, right! That sounds really fun.” My kids, now both teenagers and active members of the Swedenborgian Church Youth League (SCYL), know what it means to head off for a weekend retreat with like-minded people. For me, the last proper retreat I attended was at Blairhaven in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 1999. As a teen, I used to count down the days until the next retreat or camp session, so having the opportunity to attend one now as an adult was a no-brainer. And, with the Cedar Hill Retreat Center literally on the same street and beach as Blairhaven was, it made it that much better. I was really happy to not only be attending but be part of the planning team with Rev. Sage Cole and Alex Gayheart.
The Be Love East Coast Retreat was organized by the Helen Keller Spiritual Life Collaborative and sponsored by the Massachusetts New Church Union. Attendees joined the retreat from all over the Midwest and East Coast: Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island, and several from Massachusetts. Some joined us for the entire weekend, some joined us just for the day Saturday, and everything in between. All were welcome to take part and join us in any way that fit their schedule.
Guests started to arrive Friday evening and were welcomed by fellowship and a charcuterie board to enjoy while friends slowly trickled in. Everyone was encouraged ahead of time to bring food items or share things that bring you love or help you show love. Making charcuterie boards is one thing not only that I love to do as a creative outlet, but also love to share with others. Lori, whose daughter attends everything the SCYL does but had never attended anything Swedenborgian herself, brought fresh flower arrangements from her own garden to warm our retreat space with her love language. Once greeting time was over, we gathered to end the night with an opening vespers. A calming way to end the day.
For the Be Love Brunch the next morning, a delicious array of breakfast items was displayed with homemade quiche (made with donations from their own chickens), baked French toast, a variety of fruit and berries, ham, potatoes, and all-around comfort foods. Rev. Sage had invited attendees ahead of time to share a response to the following question: “What is helping you right now to feel a sense of the presence of LOVE?” All were encouraged to share in whatever way felt best to them—could be very sacred, very simple, or very silly—whatever spoke to their heart. Day attendees arrived in time to partake in this session and shared what they do to show love. Sage had placed prompts around the table that we could use to spark new directions to the discussion about love: what does love taste like or sound like, for example. Deane sang a song that he recently shared with a dear friend who was transitioning to the spiritual world for sounds of love, and it was a touching moment for us all. The sense of family while enjoying meaningful conversation around a meal together was powerful even for those who had never met before the retreat.
One of the special things about gatherings like retreats is the joy and fun spent around making meals together, cleaning up together, and being useful to each other by partaking in the “chores.” They don’t feel like chores when you’re doing them with friends, laughing and singing the time away. We all took turns with the cooking and cleaning, and enjoyed crafts and puzzles in the downtime between sessions and meal times.
For the afternoon, a Be Honest Teatime was held, and we were encouraged to bring a favorite tea to share to enjoy with tea sandwiches, crumpets, and macaroons, and be honest with each other and ourselves. Before sitting down to tea, Rev. Sage led us in a baptism ritual where we washed each other’s hands before the meal. We split into two groups and were prompted with, “What are some tensions you are present with at the moment? Where are you being invited to grow?” Though it took a few minutes to settle in, people opened up to each other about some really difficult things they are going through or processing in their lives, families, marriages, or otherwise. One group wrapped up with a poem that one member brought to read, which summed up their feelings. The other broke into sub-conversations and kept their discussions going.
We said goodbye to our day attendees after teatime, and there was some downtime to enjoy a walk to the beach, games, or a nap. Though, as it always seems to happen, as the afternoon moved into early evening, everyone ended back around the table enjoying cribbage, scrabble, and lots and lots of laughs.
Our Be Useful Sunday got slightly derailed as the weather turned colder and wetter. Though it held off long enough in the morning for many of us to enjoy our coffee, listening to the birds on the porch and watching the deer in the yard, it was nature’s church for sure. Some made the journey up to the Boston Church on the Hill to enjoy a service and to see family. Others had to head home, and some of us stayed and took a walk around the old Blairhaven grounds. The afternoon remained low-key and made space for useful conversations about the church, membership, and what it means to be a Swedenborgian while keeping our fingers busy putting together a puzzle. We then made homemade soups and fresh bread for those of us who were left and enjoyed a closing evening together, having several days of deepening our connections to one another.
Extended times like these give the space for people to really form spiritual connections or find ones they didn’t know existed. Hearing the thoughts from newcomers who were brave enough to try something different affirms the meaningfulness of these retreats. “The retreat was blessed with some of the same energy that fills our youth camps. Some folks said it was nostalgia, but as a relative newcomer to this group, I know it’s more than that,” said Ben, and Lori said, “Caroline told me that ‘now I would know why she loves it so much’ and was so excited for me to go. I will definitely be back next year.” Makes it all worth it, and we’ve booked the same weekend (April 16–19, 2027) for next year!
To learn more about the Helen Keller Spiritual Life Collaborative and join either their in-person or virtual events visit: helenkellercollaborative.org.
Read the full issue of the June Messenger.
Meet Beki Greenwood
Beki Greenwood is an active member of the Fryeburg New Church Assembly, Helen Keller Spiritual Life Collaborative, and was recently appointed recording secretary of the Swedenborgian Church of North America.
