MSIA’s Family Retreat at Lake Arrowhead — The First Event of the Conference of Service 2004

Click here to view the photo slideshow from MSIA’s Family Retreat 2004.

Sixty eager participants traveled to MSIA’s Lake Arrowhead property on the weekend of June 25-27 for this year’s Family Retreat, which happened to be the first event of the Conference of Service.

The weather was picture perfect, and the Arrowhead property was beautiful, even with some of its trees cut down. Karen & Richard Powell were the facilitators guiding the retreat this year.

Parents enjoyed an hour of spiritual exercises together each morning while the assisting team entertained the kids. There was something for everyone, with art projects, hiking and volleyball games.

Gabe Marvis says the volleyball games were the best part of the retreat for him. Tasha Marvis said “even the food was really good.”

A highlight of the retreat was a visit from our Beloved Traveler, John Morton, who answered questions and shared his loving with all.

Here is a poem about the Family Retreat by Sara Grace Powell:

beginning. beginning
with the tangled mess of roads
we inch forward toward our goal;
a tangerine sky set before us.

the stars can be seen through the trees,
glinting off of yellow eyes.
backing up blindly, we have arrived.
in bed i lay.

middle. middle of the retreat,
retreating from life.
here i sit looking upon the sun sneaking through the cracks
in the trees.
pebbles crunching,
cries of joy.

end. end of it all.
no regrets, completed, just fine and dandy.
i’ll see you all later, the end was complete.

Read more articles from the Conference Of Service 2004: