DISCERNMENT | A time to review our callings and discern the guidance of the Spirit. The retreat includes guided imaginative prayer, the spiritual treasures of a beautiful painting and time to listen to the body’s wisdom.

(IN SITU) DURING OCTOBER 2023   

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL (John 4:1-42)| An invitation to journey to the well, to Christ the Living Water.

At Jacob’s well, Jesus broke strict rules of his time in order to reach a woman who was struggling with past relationships, exclusion and isolation; he listened to her in a non-judgmental way, saw her huge potential and she was transformed, finding her own confidence and her own voice. We will explore this intriguing Gospel passage, which helps to illuminate our inner soul journeys and offers an invitation to walk to the ‘well’, to Christ the One who restores us. The retreat will include a short theatre piece, discussion of the Gospel passage, Ignatian guided prayer based on the beautiful journey to the well and a short presentation of guitar music, words and candlelight.

All Evenings 7pm-9pm (except *). Refreshments will be from 6.30-7pm (except *) and we will aim to start on time at 7pm with the theatre piece.

(SCHEDULE - PLEASE BOOK THROUGH INDIVIDUAL VENUES)

Sun 1st Oct - St John's Church, Wingates, Chorley Rd, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3PL  (* NB 6-8pm, NOT 7-9pm, refreshments 5.45-6pm)

For bookings, phone 07557 658452 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tues 3rd Oct - Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, Lourdes Avenue, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancs PR55AA

For bookings, contact the Parish office: 01772 335387 or email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Thurs 5th Oct - Lund Community Hall, (next to St John the Evangelist C of E Church), Church Lane, Lund, Preston, Lancs PR40ZE

For bookings, contact Helen Bushe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mon 9th Oct - Monastery of Our Lady of Hyning, Warton, nr Carnforth, Lancs LA59SE.

For bookings,contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 01524 732684

Tues 10th Oct  - St John the Evangelist RC Church, The Crescent, Bromley Cross, Bolton, Lancs BL79JP

For bookings, phone 01204 301927 https://www.sbsj.org.uk/Groups/174014/St_John_the/Contact/St_John_the/St_John_the.aspxFr

Fri 13th Oct - Christ Church, Manchester Road, Denton, Manchester, M343RN (*Start at 7pm and then refreshments will be afterwards at 9pm)

For bookings, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 07718326321

Tues 17th Oct - Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, 275 Plodder Lane, Bolton, Lancs BL40BR 

For bookings, phone 01204 572 380 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thurs 26th Oct - Blessed Virgin Mary Church Hall, Church Lane, Hambleton, Lancs FY69BZ 

For bookings, contact: 07773439667, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sun 29th Oct - Midge Hall Methodist Church, Midge Hall, Longmeanygate, Leyland, Lancs PR266TD

For bookings, contact: Ellen Monk Winstanley via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mon 30th Oct - St John's Church, St John Street, Earlestown, Newton- le Willows, St Helens, Merseyside WA129NW

For bookings, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THE FEEDING OF THE 5,000 | From a boat, to the shore of a lonely place... healing, the hungry are fed and the fragments are gathered.

Venue: Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gerard Majella RC Church, Brownedge Rd, Lostock Hall Preston PR55TA. Cost £20. 

For bookings, please contact the Parish office: 01772 335387 or email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Places are limited.

The Story of the Handless Woman Retreat

This uniquely prepared retreat offers spiritual and creative space in which to explore one of the most compelling and crucial ancient stories for women, The Handless Woman. Psychologist Clarissa Pinkola Estes believes this tale is about the phases of an entire lifetime of a women and it teaches that the work is to wander into the forest again and again…

I have hired a lovely, spacious venue in the beautiful setting of Ribble Valley’s Hurst Green village, with its enchanting woodland. The quest in the story calls a woman to the wildness of the forest and so, (weather permitting), during one of the sessions, we will enter this sacred space of trees, stream and stillness and explore what it means to go into the forest…

The venue has a stage and the day will begin with a professional, creative, one woman dramatic storytelling performance of the story, full of red tears, silver hands, the white spirit, the sacred orchard…

I hope we can really enjoy, think, discuss, heal, renew, restore... through the depths of this ancient myth, as we explore the wisdom which speaks to women’s heroic journeying. Various themes will be focused on including: the naïve bargains women sometimes can make; dismemberment - when women lose their ‘hands’ and their ability to make, hold, create; the journey into the forest; restoration of 'the hands' and of who we are; engaging and embodying the ‘Wild woman’ with her divine energy.

Venue: Hurst Green ABC Memorial Hall, Avenue Rd, Hurst Green, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9QB

The Hall has a car park with free parking.

Date: Sunday 22^nd October.   11am – 4pm, with coffee from 10.30-11am.

(Please bring a packed lunch, comfortable clothing, outdoor clothes and footwear). Coffee and tea will be provided throughout the day.

There will be limited spaces to ensure a quality experience of the retreat.

Cost £75

Exploring the Spirituality of the Desert Mothers.

Venue: Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gerard Majella RC Church, Brownedge Rd, Lostock Hall Preston PR55TA. Cost £20. 

For bookings, please contact the Parish office on 01772 335387 or Email – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(ONLINE) THE PRAYER OF THE HEART | This retreat is about the inner contemplative journey and wisdom from Desert and Eastern Christianity. Including the Jesus Prayer.

At Monastery of Our Lady of Hyning Monastery (map) - Saturday, Nov 25th, 10am-4pm

(Includes lunch)

This retreat will offer windows into the compelling spirituality of the Desert Mothers of the early centuries.  We will explore the faith, prayer and lives of these incredible Christian women, deep disciples of Christ, who journeyed into the wilderness, lived alone or in community, battled with their demons and yearned to put on the mind and heart of Christ. The retreat will include presentation, opportunity for discussion, music, images etc.

PLEASE BOOK THROUGH HYNING MONASTERY  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Tel 01524 732684

 (IN SITU) THE WONDER OF STORIES – RESIDENTIAL RETREAT AT WHALLEY ABBEY

Monday 27 Nov 2023 (starts at 4pm) - Thursday 30 Nov 2023 (finishes at 2pm)

Venue: Whalley Abbey, The Sands, Whalley, Lancashire BB7 9SS

PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THROUGH THIS WEBSITE.

PLEASE BOOK THROUGH WHALLEY ABBEY: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 01254 828 400

OR EVENTBRITE: The Wonder of Stories - residential retreat run by Donna Worthington Tickets, Mon 27 Nov 2023 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

Exploring how stories can be guides to deeper self-awareness, freedom and wholeness that God offers us… As the gong is sounded, an ancient Emperor of Japan appears, his eyes held by what he has just read about the exquisite song of the Nightingale... Sit back, relax and enjoy the performance...

We will seek to mine the treasures of this old story through discussion and theatre techniques. The retreat will go on to explore Christian perspectives on other compelling stories… the fairy tales of Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. We’ll be using different ways of praying from simple art work to guided imaginative prayer…

And we’ll go on to explore the story of the 5th century, Christian seafarer Saint Brendan, who with his companions, set sail into the unknown of the Atlantic, compelled by the Spirit to seek the Island of the Promised Land… This incredible journey offers a wonderful imaginative and mythic space in which to do our inner, creative soul-work.

This three night/four day residential retreat will give you the chance to relax and submerse yourself in story whilst being cared for in the beautiful surroundings of Whalley Abbey.

LEARNING FROM NATURE | We seek the divine through Creation… Drawing on the deep rooted Christian reverence for the earth, this retreat explores Scripture, poetry and images from nature alongside personal reflection and discernment.