Christ Renews His Parish
“Being a follower of Jesus is not a matter of birth, but of decision.”
CHRIST RENEWS HIS PARISH (CRHP) Retreat is a weekend spent at St. John the Evangelist Parish with other parishioners in an ‘upper room atmosphere.” This spiritual time away from the everyday world is a gift to yourself as you receive a renewed heart along with an abundance of joy in Christian Community and a closer relationship with Jesus. This is attained through reading Scripture, praying together, listening, sharing, enjoying the fellowship of other parishioners, sharing in clergy-celebrated liturgies, and receiving the sacraments.
NEXT CRHP RETREAT WEEKENDS
Women's Retreat
Saturday August 24th & Sunday August 25th, 2013
Contact: Cis Franzen
Phone: 321-752-5586
Email:
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Men's Retreat
Saturday September 7th & Sunday September 8th, 2013
Contact: George Franzen
Phone: 321-752-5586
Email:
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Who may attend?
This Weekend is open to all parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community over 21 years old. It’s also open to non-Catholic spouses of parishioners. CRHP is for anyone who seeks spiritual renewal, desires to build up the Body of Christ or gain a deeper sense of purpose within the parish community.
Who conducts the weekend?
A team of parishioners who has previously attended a Renewal Weekend.
What happens during the weekend?
CRHP is not a silent retreat. The emphasis is on personal and community renewal. You will listen, share if you like, pray for grace and read Scripture to see how it impacts our everyday life. During the process you enjoy what you’re doing, laugh and enjoy the food that comes from the kitchens of Chef Beaupre’.
Any special needs concerning food or physical disabilities will be accommodated.
Where will I sleep?
Accommodations for the weekend are simple but adequate. Sleeping arrangements are provided on large airbeds and/or cots. St. John’s Parish Center is transformed into Christ Renews His Parish Retreat Center for the weekend.
What should I wear?
Casual Comfort is the apparel du jour. Jeans, shorts, sandals, whatever you’re most comfortable in, wear it!
How much does it cost?
NOTHING. However donations are welcome and gratefully accepted.
Do I need a personal invitation?
Absolutely not! Each CRHP retreat is a mixture of parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community. Everyone is invited and there is no generation gap. Once you are a member of the CRHP family you will probably never attend another Mass without seeing someone you know that you can call by name and they will know yours. You will not want the feeling you received from the retreat weekend to end and therefore will make yourself a part of the church community to keep the feeling of community going. You will achieve spiritual renewal.
How do I register?
Click on, fill out, and submit the Registration Form. You will immediately receive an on-line confirmation of your registration and you will receive a confirmation in the mail from a CRHP Invitations Coordinator. You can also call the phone numbers or email the addresses listed. Watch the bulletin for information and look for pink and blue shirts in the lobby of the Church as the dates get closer. Space is limited, it's a good idea to register early.
What some are saying about their Christ Renews His Parish Experience . . . . .
My first encounter with Christ Renews His Parish was February 2010, six months to the day of my husband’s death. I was searching for a new life and something to give me direction. I found everything I needed at that Retreat. Christ Renews His Parish and all of my Sisters in Christ have been and continue to be my “lifeline.” I can’t imagine life without them. Jesus has definitely become my “call a friend.” I am at peace.
- Gerry Judge
We have been members of the St John the Evangelist Catholic Community since 2006. It was clear to us that this was a Catholic Community that had developed a deep culture of welcoming, and of parishioner service through support of the parish ministries and liturgies. We had never experienced this in the parishes we were members of previously, so were very happy that the Lord had steered us in the direction of becoming members of St John's – but, at the time, we didn't realize that feeling of happiness and a sense of belonging was just scratching the surface of our newly revived faith journey.
We both started to seek out opportunities to get more involved in the parish, thus hopefully, finding the ways & means to deepen our faith. Our parish friends who had previously attended CRHP Weekends started to encourage us to attend. We resisted at first, feeling that "we had done the retreat thing before", not initially perceiving any additional value in attending yet another retreat.
After continued encouragement and some soul searching on our parts, we did "sign up" for the Women's Weekend #3 and the Men's Weekend #4. In retrospect, we both believe that is the most important faith decision we have ever made. Going in to the Weekend, we were hoping for an enlightening personal faith experience, what we encountered was so much bigger than that. We did experience a revitalization of our personal faith, but also, a new realization of the power of communal faith that continues to grow within the two of us today, and will continue throughout our faith journeys. As with many attendees, we have stayed connected to CRHP and have established many new connections via the CRHP universe that continues to grow within our Catholic Community. Both have provided many opportunities for additional growth in our faith, as well as ongoing fulfillment as active members in the ministries here at St John's. From a "couple" perspective, we have realized yet another bonus – we are now truly supporting and serving one another in our faith journey as a couple, which we had never thought of doing in the past. The scripture sharing, shared prayer, interaction, openness, caring and giving that we experienced during our weekends has carried over to our everyday life, and has absolutely deepened our relationship as a couple.
- Jim and Judy Fiandaca
