Published: May 09, 2008 12:10 pm            

Weekend Spiritual Retreat a blessing for all

By Enid Shepard

The Epiphany Ministry is an Ecumenical ministry of God’s church. It seeks to meet the basic needs of youth who are incarcerated. At the present time, there are about 13 such facilities under the direction of the Texas Youth Council. At the Corsicana Rehabilitation and Treatment Center, juvenile boys range from age 10 to 18 years. They often do not have parental support and may only have a grandparent to relate to.

The Weekend Spiritual Retreat is dedicated to helping the juveniles realize that they are not forgotten and that they are special, loved, and deserving of God’s wonderful grace. In addition to myself, those who are certified and presently participating as leaders from Jacksonville First United Methodist Church are Bill Durr, John and Diane Burns, and Nick and Linda Tomlinson. The youth often experience spiritual renewal and God’s call to a life of Christian witness and service as God in Christ becomes more real to them.

Those youth, some 40 to 50, who participate in the weekend retreat are selected and invited by the institutional staff. It is by the youth’s choice to attend or not, and they may also ask to leave at any time during the weekend. Those who attend the weekend are called “Stars.” Once they have participated they are known as “Super Stars” and then may help lead in the next Weekend Epiphany Spiritual Retreat. Some of these youth, Super Stars, having already participated before transferring from another unit are asked to help the leaders in the retreat.

An assigned family group consisting of four to six incarcerated youth, an adult Table leader, an adult assistant Table leader, and an adult Spiritual director all relate as a family the whole weekend. While in their Table Family, the Stars receive encouragement and love during their meals, at play, study, worship and prayer. For some this is the only family they have known. god’s unconditional love is demonstrated in such a way that a natural bonding occurs. this relationship is extended and nurtured in the monthly reunion meetings between the adult leaders and youth participants. They also receive cards and letters and the assurance that they are being remembered in prayer by those who served as their Table leaders.

The Super Stars are encouraged to continue their Christian growth after the weekend by weekly Bible studies and worship services held on the campus at the unit. As a result of the Epiphany Spiritual Retreat many of the Stars have life-transforming experiences. they develop a sense of self-worth, and self-esteem that helps them lead positive, productive lives. the weekend experiences help the youth develop a sense of purpose and a new focus with some specific goals. Plus their shared time together in the retreat helps them become better acquainted.

It takes a large group of volunteers to conduct the retreat. An outside team prepares all seven meals for the adults and youth which is catered to the facility for the weekend. They set up, serve and clean up, with the aid of the Super Stars once the prepared foods for the meal are brought to the site. An “inside team” ministers in many capacities as they serve as leaders. There are about 75 to 100 adults in all, with both inside and outside teams. The inside team not only volunteers at the conference table, but also serve as a weekend guide to two to three youth during the retreat. There is always time to share at the monthly reunion meetings with the Table Family, and/or as individuals. Some youth choose to use this time to catch up and keep in touch with the leaders they have bonded with during the shared retreat.

Many congregations are involved as well, as the leaders often have to have substitutes to fill in at their assigned roles at their home churches. The volunteers spend three nights either at a hotel, a host home, or at a dorm at Navarro College. The congregations back the adult teams and the youth with a prayer vigil the whole weekend. They may also help provide funds for the meals, Bibles, even give weekend youth sponsorship funds and help pay for gifts for the birthday party. Children and youth help by making the table place mats for the meals. The birthday party, complete with cake and ice cream, birthday cards, presents and singing, is the first for some. The one-on-one attention throughout the weekend includes singing with a live band, praising God, fun games, humorous skits, lots of food, Bible study, and worship. The activities include lots of light moments to create an atmosphere where Stars can feel safe, and walls come down.

Finding forgiveness is an important part of the weekend. They learn God will forgive them and the Lord wants them to forgive others. They not only experience forgiveness from themselves, but mothers, dads, rival gang members and even God. Sometimes they have spiritual questions or clarification about some theological concept.

Several months are spent behind the scenes in prayerfully recruiting the leadership team. then the team will spend about three meetings getting acquainted, planning, getting their assigned leadership roles, having background checks, etc. The team rolls in on Thursday, before the retreat begins, to set up the gym with all the supplies, resources and equipment. Each evening is spent in further team planning, debriefing and making plans for the next day. One of the local churches, usually the Corsicana First Methodist, hosts the leadership team for a place to meet for their breakfasts and evening meetings. It also allows the use of its facility to prepare the catered meals. Other churches sometimes host the planning meetings for the team preparation and have been very supportive to this Ecumenical ministry if a need arises.

It is most rewarding to see God’s love become real to the youth and a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ begins to develop or is renewed. their inner joy and peace is very visible as the encouragement helps lift them out of depressions and can give them a new sense of purpose. I find this ministry one of the most rewarding that I have been involved with throughout my years of ministry. I’m blessed to be a participant in this most vital ministry with and for these young people and for the relationship with other dedicated Christian leaders. The Rev. Larry Bach, serves in a leadership role as director and he and his wife, Linda, also serve in the role of campus minister at CRTC. This year the Angel Award goes to CRTC for having this very successful program in the Corsicana Unit.



The Rev. Enid Shepard is a retired Methodist minister of the Texas Conference and resides at her home in Jacksonville. She served the St. John United Methodist Church from June 1998 to June 2003, at which time she retired. She also pastored the New Community Church for seven months due to their pastor’s illness. She is still an active participant of the Jacksonville Ministerial Alliance and volunteers in the community.

        

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