Shrine Mont: Fellowship, Worship, Community, Welcoming, Education, Music

The parish retreat provides a place to bring together the strengths of St. Thomas.

Community Shrine Mont is similar to the type of neighborhood where we adults may have grown up. The children are safe and can be given more freedom each year. The entire community of St Thomas watches over our children, giving the children freedom to mature in the safety of a community.

Fellowship The weekend starts on Friday night with games and activities inside and later we gather around the bonfire for s’mores. Saturday afternoon we have social hour together before dinner and a dance in the evening. The meals are family-style, giving everyone a chance to enjoy meal time with other parishioners. It is an opportunity to learn about others in our church and form bonds that don’t usually happen during a quick chat at coffee hour on Sundays.

Worship and Education Our worship time is casual and family-friendly. The lessons and psalms are usually read by the children and the discussions involve the children. They want to participate. The lessons are relevant to all – young and young-at-heart!

Welcoming Parishioners often invite friends and family to join us. We’ve had friends of teens, grandparents, non-member spouses, sisters, Aunts, cousins. We have new parishioners at St. Thomas who joined after attending the retreat as guests. All are welcome and we hope you will join us, too.

Music We have many choir members and musicians, and we create beautiful music in the mountains. We sing favorite hymns usually accompanied by guitar and piano. Children are also encouraged to bring their instruments.

2012 Dates Are Here

The St. Thomas Parish Retreat will be Friday, May 11 through Sunday, May 13. Please join us!

2011 Scedule

Friday

4:30 pm and on - Check in with Cindy - Peterkin Porch
5:30 - 7:00 pm - Dinner in Virginia House
8:00 pm - Welcome Gathering in Old Rec Hall
9:00 pm - Compline in Old Rec Hall
Bonfire in the field near the upper pavilion

Saturday

7:30 am - Wake up bells ring
8:00 am (sharp) - Breakfast in Tucker Dining Hall
9:00 am - Morning Prayer in Meade living room

Morning activities:
trip to the candy store
hike to the Cross with the group (meet in front of Peterkin)
walk the labyrinth (near the Shrine)

Noon - Noon Devotions in Meade living room
12:30 - Lunch in Tucker Dining Hall

Afternoon activities:
Free time
Bookstore
Catch Newts
Walk the labyrinth
Playground
Sports
Photo Scavenger Hunt

4:30 pm - Social Time (Peterkin Porch and Sunroom)
5:30 om - Dinner in Tucker Dining Hall
7:00 pm - Evening Prayer in Meade living room
8:00 pm - Square Dance in lower pavilion

Sunday

7:30 - Wake up bells ring
8:00 - Breakfast in Tucker Dining Hall

8:45 am - Holy Eucharist in the Shrine

9:30
Free time
Pack and load cars - take food items from common area
Bookstore

12:30 am - Lunch in Tucker Dining Hall

Depart in Peace

2011 Retreat Dates

Now that you have your 2011 calendar it is time to block out the weekend of the Parish Retreat at Shrine Mont. The dates this year are Friday, May 6th through Sunday, May 8th. The flowers will be in bloom, the wisteria will be sending out a sweet fragrance and the weather should be mild.

The highlights of the weekend include s’mores around the campfire, hiking the mountain, music by St Thomas musicians, family-style meals, and Sunday morning worship at the Cathedral Shrine.

2010 Schedule

Friday

4:00 pm and on - Check in with Cindy
5:30 - 7:00 pm - Dinner in Virginia House
8:00 pm - Welcome Gathering in Chilton Hall
9:00 pm - Compline in Chilton Hall
Bonfire in the field near the upper pavilion

Saturday

7:30 am - Wake up bells ring
8:00 am (sharp) - Breakfast in Tucker Dining Hall
9:00 am - Morning Prayer in Meade living room

Morning activities:
trip to the candy store
hike to the Cross with the group (meet at Scott)
walk the labyrinth (near the Shrine)

Noon - Noon Devotions in Meade living room
12:30 - Lunch in Tucker Dining Hall

Afternoon activities:
Free time
Bookstore
Catching Newts
Walk the labyrinth
Playground
Sports
Visit the new winery down the road

4:30 pm - Social Time (location to be determined)
5:30 om - Dinner in Tucker Dining Hall
7:00 pm - Evening Prayer in Meade living room
8:00 pm - Square Dance in lower pavilion
(if too cold, indoor location is Chilton Hall)

Sunday

7:30 - Wake up bells ring
8:00 - Breakfast in Tucker Dining Hall

Morning activities:
Free time
Pack
Bookstore

10:15 am - Holy Eucharist in the Shrine

11:30 am - Pack and load cars
(remember to take
food items, etc. from common areas)

12:30 am - Lunch in Tucker Dining Hall

Depart in Peace

Life Unplugged!

Join us for a weekend in the mountains. Read a book in a chair on the porch, hike up a mountain, play your musical instrument, walk the labyrinth, cook s'mores at the bonfire, and limbo at the dance.

These are just some of the ways to escape from Northern Virginia: traffic, tv, internet, video games, phone calls. Leave it all behind and join us at Shrine Mont!

Packing List

Snacks and Drinks to share during social time and Square Dance on Saturday.
- remember soft drinks for the kids
- beer and wine, if you want it
- sweets (brownies, cookies), salty (nuts, crackers, pretzels), fruit, cheese, dips

Marshmallow roasting skewers, if you have them

Reusable drink mug for coffee and tea throughout the day. Or pre-order a Shrine Mont travel mug ($3) and Cindy will have it for you when you arrive.

Reusable sports bottles for kids (good for hike).

Camera

Cards and board games (in case it rains)

Musical Instruments (and tell Shawn if you want to play an instrument during the worship services so he can transpose the music).

Flashlight

Comfortable clothing and shoes (extra clothes and shoes for kids!) Lots of socks for the kids. (They tend to find their way into the streams and ponds and puddles and mud.)

Dress in layers - it is warm during the day and cool at night. No dressy clothes needed.

Raingear, just in case.

Sunscreen and bug spray.

Sports equipment: Fishing rod, nets, tennis rackets, football, kickball, basketballs

(Linens and towels are provided) but you may wish to bring extra towels (esp. if you like big, fluffy towels)