A Year of Courage & Renewal® Weekend Experiences

August 8-10, 2025   Welcome and Presence:  A Courage & Renewal® Weekend

What does it mean to hold presence in these times? How are you welcoming your ‘whole self’ into each moment and the waves of your life? An aspect of presence is to be deeply grounded without fear, being ‘seen’ and ‘known’, and living with openness. Those questions and more will be explored in retreats that have been specifically designed to create a safe and expansive space. 

Each renewal weekend will include creating a quiet, focused, and enlivened space—a Circle of Trust®—
where personal, inner wisdom can be heard.  Inspiration from poetry and other writings, music, movement, and art activities are ways to hear our own lives speak. To give voice to your own reflection, there will be time in a large group, smaller groups, and in silence both indoors and on the Holy Wisdom Monastery grounds. 

We will use these experiences and other rich metaphors to symbolize and discover and explore life
questions. Together, we will experience creating spaces in our lives to tend and nurture our desire to live
fully with courage and resilience.

• Revitalize your commitment to the values that give meaning to your life.
• Increase your ability to listen openly and be present.
• Learn reflective practices to become more intentional.
• Explore questions to build and sustain community.
• Expand trustworthy and authentic relationships.

The Center for Courage & Renewal (CC&R) was founded by Parker J. Palmer, PhD.  Currently over 300 facilitators world-wide support and invite people to explore “role and soul” in retreat. The Center’s mission is to nurture deep integrity and relational trust, building the foundation for a more loving, equitable, and healthy world. Using the Center for Courage & Renewal principles, practices and touchstones, we will begin with themes of welcome & presence (August), living the questions (November), grace & reflection (February), and wonder & hope (April). In the language of Benedictine values, the focus is on hospitality, patience & humility, prayer, communication & stewardship.

Mary Louise Peters a Courage & Renewal® Facilitator, will be joined by Amy Christianson who recently completed the Courage & Renewal Practicum Program. She has a long professional career in education within early childhood, PreK-12 and higher education settings. Amy’s background includes educational leadership, organizational change and working with diverse populations.