Marble Church Reconciliation Retreat

In October 2024 we welcomed 24 guests from Marble Collegiate Church in New York to a 5-day residential retreat at Rose Castle. Our time together included generous hospitality, rhythms of daily prayer and reflection, and group expeditions into the Lake District. During interactive sessions we explored the 12 Habits of a Reconciler, Scriptural reflection on the Road to Emmaus, the PIN Tool, and fireside chats on the theme of Truth and Reconciliation.

Our aim for this retreat was for members of the congregation to learn more about living out the reality of disagreeing well, specifically helping them prepare for the 2024 US Presidential election. When reflecting on the learnings from the retreat, the group felt they had gained a much clearer understanding of what reconciliation could look like for their own communities, including practical skills and tools to create spaces which would encourage others to encounter difference well.

Particular sources of delight included the depth of relationship and trust developed among the cohort and the spiritual nourishment experienced through exploring scripture and collective prayer. Participants reported leaving the retreat with an increased capacity to empathise with those on the other side of a divide.