Sabbatical scribblings - on the pilgrim’s way.

Sabbatical Scribblings - On the Pilgrim’s Way

is a series of periodic reflections from Tom & Marcia Hotchkiss as they travel to South Africa for a reunion retreat with Renovare Institute led by Trevor Hudson and as they walk a portion of the Portuguese Camino to Santiago de Compostela.

On Friday May 19th, we took an afternoon flight from Dallas to Newark to connect with an overnight flight from Newark to Johannesburg, South Africa. Once in South Africa, we connected with some of the members of Tom’s learning cohort from the Renovare Institute for Spiritual Formation. Several members of the Charlotte Cohort (and spouses) are meeting in Johannesburg to make a special retreat led by Trevor Hudson who is one of the main instructors with the Renovare Institute, a Methodist minister, a native South African, expert on Ignatian spirituality, and experienced retreat leader.

On Monday May 22nd, the entire group converged on Origins Retreat Center about an hour outside Johannesburg. Origins, we learn, was established by Mosaieck Church, a diverse and creative church community which emphasizes contemplative practices like silence, prayer, contemplation. There is a chapel on the property where silence is observed at all times and where everyone who is on retreat is invited to join together for 20 minutes of silence each day at 7 am, 12 noon, and 6 pm.

The daily rhythm of our retreat was established on Tuesday as: 7 am – Chapel silent prayer and meditation of 20 minutes, 7:30 am – devotional led by one of the participants, 8 am breakfast, 9 am – teaching 1 for the day from Trevor H. followed by a prayer exercise. 12 noon – Chapel silent prayer and meditation of 20 minutes. Lunch at 12:30 pm followed by open time until 2:30 pm when Trevor H. Gave his second teaching of the day.  We had another prayer exercise, time to walk the Stations of Life or walk around the retreat center property in silence until 5:00 pm when we met in small groups to share briefly with each other. At 6:00 pm, we met again in the chapel for silent prayer and meditation for 20 minutes. Dinner at 6:30 pm and a brief evening program from 7:30 – 8:30 pm.

More in the next post about silence as part of our retreat time. And, the beautiful setting…and a how a few logistical and mechanical issues challenged our time together early on.

Praying for you as we journey along. Blessings on your way.

Tom (and Marcia)