We’re sorry - booking for this retreat is now closed. Throughout the year, though, we can arrange a six-session series of one-to-one accompaniment: please see ‘One-to-One’ on our What’s On page to find out more.

In some Christian calendars the season of Christmas ends on 2 February. As this season closes, then, and we turn to Spring, this retreat offers the chance to explore how ‘God-with-us’ might be meaningful in your life not just at Christmas but every day.

This retreat runs across three weeks of your ‘normal life’, with a focus on discovering (or rediscovering) your experience of God, through prayer and noticing the presence of the Divine. The retreat offers two conversations each week between just you and your retreat guide; each conversation will centre on your prayer and experience in the days of the retreat, and there will be resources available to help with different ways of praying. The retreat guide is alongside you, supporting and encouraging you in your retreat.

With an overarching theme of ‘Sabbath’, and its invitation to rest, perhaps this retreat will offer you your own time to rest with God even in the midst of your daily life.

Who is this for?

Anyone who wants to explore experiencing God in their life, within a broad Christian context but without expectations of what their faith or prayer life looks like. The retreat is made within your normal life: it is not about ‘going away’ on retreat. Your guide will be able to accompany you in your exploration, as a light touch, but this is not counselling or therapy, and therefore we recommend this particular retreat is not suitable for anyone currently struggling with difficult personal circumstances including bereavement and mental health issues, where a different approach may be more helpful.

Our guides are all part of the Retreat House Chester team and have experience in one-to-one retreats / spiritual accompaniment.

What will I do? What will I talk about?

This retreat takes place over three weeks, during which time you will meet your retreat guide for two conversations per week of more or less thirty minutes each, where the focus will be on your experience of God in prayer and in daily life. These conversations will mostly be offered on Zoom / online at a time to suit both you and your guide, but some of our team will be available to meet in-person (probably in our rooms in Chester). You will be asked which of these suits you, but please be aware that in-person may not be possible.

You are also warmly invited to an online opening and close to the retreat with the rest of those making the retreat and the guides - as well as a further online gathering midway. These will be gentle times of prayer and reflection. It is not essential to be at these sessions, but they are a helpful part of the retreat.

Your guide may suggest different ways of praying and we will offer resources to help with this. The hope is that you will find your own time to pray or reflect most days during the retreat, deepening your attentiveness and entering more deeply into the retreat as you go about your daily life.

What now?

The retreat will run from Sunday 29 January, to Friday 17 February.

Sunday 29 January 3-4pm on Zoom: opening of retreat for all guides and retreatants

Wednesday 8 February 7-8pm on Zoom: prayer evening, invitation to all

Friday 17 February 7– 8pm on Zoom: close of retreat for all guides and retreatants

Book your place by going to our online booking system here. We are offering this retreat on a ‘Pay – What – You – Can’ basis; as a rough idea we suggest a donation of £75 to help Retreat House Chester in its work, but payment shouldn’t be the deciding factor in whether or not you make the retreat. (Please be aware that donations for this retreat are only refundable if Retreat House Chester cancels the retreat; we are unable to offer other refunds – thank you.)

In the week of 9 January we will send all retreatants an information form to return to us, asking some general questions including whether you would like to meet online or in-person. Please be aware that in-person may be limited or not possible. Our booking system only shows the event as online, but you are able to let us know your preference.

bookings close Thursday 19th January or sooner if fully booked

“Peace to this house - To those who enter, to those who dwell here, to those who depart, Peace.”