Taking Time to Be
Who Has the Time?
“Uh oh, here’s another article about that Second Wind retreat for diocesan directors,” you may be thinking. “It sounds like a nice idea, but who in youth ministry has that kind of time?” Answer: Everyone. We have all been given the same amount of time each day. It depends on how we choose to use it. “But in May?” you may protest. “That is one of my busiest times of year, what with graduations and end of the year activities and all.” That may be true. But Second Wind is calling you to consider taking a break from the river of activities that usually sweep you along each spring.
What Kind of Time Would You Like to Have?
The flurry of activities that may be keeping you from this retreat falls under the category of chronos time. Second Wind is inviting you to spend some kairos time. Kairos time will refresh your soul.
“Chronos is clocks, deadlines, watches, calendars, agendas, planners,
schedules, beepers. Chronos is time at her worst. Chronos keeps track
. . . Chronos is the world's time. Kairos is transcendence, infinity,
reverence, joy, passion, love, the Sacred. Kairos is intimacy with the
Real. Kairos is time at her Best . . . Kairos is Spirit’s time.
We exist in chronos. We long for kairos. That's our duality. Chronos
requires speed so that it won’t be wasted. Kairos requires space
so that it might be savored. We do in chronos. In kairos we’'re
allowed to be . . .”
—Sarah Ban Breathnach
Taking Time for the ‘Rest’ of Your Life
Second Wind is a retreat for diocesan directors who have been in youth ministry for five years or more. Focusing on the understanding of Sabbath, the retreat is designed for your rest, renewal, and rejuvenation.
We on the Second Wind team know how very busy you are. We also know the infinite value of taking time away from busyness to replenish the wellsprings within us. Please prayerfully consider joining us for some rich, thick, deep, velvety kairos time.
“We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery.”—H. G. Wells
SECOND
WIND RETREAT
May 18-22, 2005
National Shrine of our Lady of the Snows
Belleville, Illinois
Contact the NFCYM office to register.
God Needs You . . . Rested, Peaceful, Refreshed, Focused, Joy- Filled, Hopeful and Free
The special thing about Second
Wind for me is the opportunity to nurture my faith by spending holy focused
time with God.
Yes, I can do that at any retreat, or each day of my life. I treasured this particular Sabbath last year, because I took time away with my fellow disciples in youth ministry—other seasoned diocesan directors who dared to take space just for themselves! Yes, I think it does take courage and determination to put myself first and spend money to just be for a week. However, because of that wonder-filled experience I will never be the same. Each day I give God my prime time rather than my left over time and we sit still together.
I know I have a very unique support group who will always encourage me to be myself and to be with God, no matter what. I know them by name and I trust them because they especially know how hard it is for me to slow down long enough to listen to God.
They pray for me and remind me to breathe, to walk and smell, to feast on Scripture, to laugh out loud, to listen to my inner self, to push the edge and then sit still and wait, to be a poet and also a prophet.
As we journey through this difficult, yet exciting time in our church, I am longing for this next time in May 2005 to be with my holy new friends. I know that even though I am on the team, I will come away refreshed and renewed to continue to serve our youth and the adults who boldly go with them into the future. I feel great!
Yours in Christ.
Email Connections at connections@nfcymoffice.org