A weekend retreat on the topic “Love bade me Welcome: the priest and poet George Herbert expresses the Gospel in poetry”.
Leader: The Venerable Colin Williams, Archdeacon of Eastern and Northern Europe and Germany.
Liebfrauenberg, a former pilgrimage site and monastery , is a retreat centre on a hill with woods and wonderful view near Woerth in northern Alsace. Every springtime, generally in Lent, members of the Anglican chaplaincies of Strasbourg, Heidelberg and Stuttgart meet here for a residential weekend. As well as study and discussion of the given topic there is time to enjoy the company of friends and to make new ones, to worship together, walk in this beautiful area and enjoy rest and relaxation. All are warmly invited to come and join in. Children are always welcome.
The weekend starts with supper on the evening of Friday 11th March at 6.30pm and finishes at teatime on Sunday 13th March at about 3pm. It is possible to come for just part of the time if you cannot make it for a whole weekend. If there are four or more children coming there will be a programme especially for them. And on Saturday evening there is a long-standing tradition of visiting the local village for “tarte flambée”.
The leader this year, the Ven. Colin Williams, was recently appointed Archdeacon of Eastern and Northern Europa and Germany. Colin has been a parish priest in Liverpool, Lancashire and Shropshire, Archdeacon of Lancaster and was the General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches until 2010.
George Herbert (1593-1633) was a poet, orator and Anglican priest; some of his poems are familiar as the texts of hymns including “King of Glory, King of Peace”, “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing” and “Teach me, my God and King”.
Colin will spend a session on what George Herbert teaches us about the Church of England. We will look at some of his poetry and what it has to say about our understanding of what is means to be a follower of Jesus Christ – for example, in our prayers and our sense of the sacrament of the present moment. We shall see how in his poetry George Herbert widens our understanding of our incarnate, crucified and risen Lord.
Costs:
Every effort is made to keep costs as low as possible but unfortunately this year it has been necessary to make a small increase. The price is all inclusive with full board. All the rooms have ensuite bathrooms.
Adults: €75 each day
Young people 13-17 yrs €54 each day
Children 4-12 yrs €40 each day
Children under 4 yrs no charge.
If you would like to come but find the price difficult to afford please speak to the local Strasbourg organisers, John and Diane Murray (email: john.murray67@googlemail.com).
If you are going to come please use the booking form and let the organisers know by 28 February.
Booking form Lbfrberg 20160001 Email to: john.murray67@googlemail.com
For more information about Liebfrauenberg see http://www.eglise-autrement.com/