A silent retreat will be held in 2026 starting Friday, May 1 at 5:30pm through Sunday, May 3 at 12:00pm at Blue Water Campground (7291 County Farm Rd, Lexington, MI 48450).
The purpose of the retreat is to draw closer to love through prayer and reflection as the Holy Spirit leads. Spiritual companions will be available for conversation sessions throughout the event if desired by individuals. Otherwise, there will be no programmed activities, and all participants will be urged to refrain from disrupting or speaking to others. This is an opportunity to disconnect from the demands and distractions of work and media to enjoy time meditating, praying, journaling, engaging with creation, or otherwise relaxing and centering.
Meals will be provided in the dining hall. Lodge rooms, cabins, and campsites for RVs or tents will be available. Participants need to provide their own linens (twin mattresses), towels, and toiletries.
There is no set fee to attend. Donations will be appreciated to cover the event costs. Estimated expenses for the weekend will be $60/person for those staying at the campground and $45/person for commuters. Contributions can be made by cash or check at the retreat or online via PayPal (no account required) during registration.
Please contact the retreat director, Dianna Vanderkarr, at cdthankyou@gmail.com with any questions about the weekend.
Register by completing the form below.
Meet Our Spiritual Companions:
Dianna Vanderkarr, Flushing, MI USA
Having felt the call to go deeper with God I completed the three-year program of Spiritual Formation, at the Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. It forever changed my life. As an Evangelist in Community of Christ I feel the call to share with those who desire to go deeper through practices of personal spiritual growth and discernment. It is a profound journey that focuses on developing a deep personal relationship with God while helping others do the same. A spiritual companion is someone who accompanies individuals on their spiritual journeys, helping them to recognize and discern God’s presence in their lives and encouraging them to grow in their relationship with the Divine. This formation process is grounded in prayer, self-awareness, theological reflection, and pastoral care.
Carole Dudley, Grand Ledge, MI USA
The Spiritual Formation Program and Spiritual Direction Practicum through the Dominican Center at Marywood in Grand Rapids, Michigan provided the 3-year formal training for my Spiritual Direction practice. Also 35 years of living and working in the Community of Christ faith community continue to teach me the transformative way God calls and engages individuals in life’s journey. Serving as a fellow disciple, minister and evangelist allows me the opportunity to share and listen among an intergenerational audience. Areas that draw me in particular are those persons struggling with life and their relationship with God and those folks seeking healing of the soul and Spirit. Engaging in a life full of questions, searching, reaching out in faith, soaking in the Spirit, informs my approach to spiritual direction. The mystery and scope surrounding one’s relationship with God never ceases to amaze me. Drawing from one’s life experience, listening contemplatively, it’s my desire to share with them as they grow in intimacy with God. Sharing with fellow travelers I pay attention to what the person or group is discerning by inviting awareness, and by bringing clarifying questions to allow the Spirit to communicate. Asking: what really counts in life, what are we really living for?
Patricia Ritz, Grand Rapids, MI USA
My approach to fostering spiritual formation in another soul is to first listen for the movement of the Spirit in the sacred story that is your life. Through the use of contemplative practices, a deepening experience of God can help you to listen more fully on your own. How will your relationship with God grow? That is the sacred story!
