Metanoia: Discovering the Gospel of Joy with Jesus

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the reality of God has come near; wake up [metanoeite] and receive the joy of the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15)

Again and again in the gospels, those encountering Jesus experience a sudden transformation of their whole lives from a state of inner sleep and suffering into the conscious joy and power of divine Love. This transformation, often translated as “repent” in English, is “metanoia” in the original Greek of the gospel, a sudden and dramatic awakening of a person, even of a whole community, to a new way of seeing, experiencing and living life. Think of the first disciples, the fishermen who were so moved by Jesus calling them from the shore, “follow me” that they immediately dropped their nets and livelihoods and did follow him. Think of the Samaritan woman at the well who met Jesus there and suddenly had a whole new understanding of God and reality, and the water of eternal life Christ offers to all who are ready to receive it.

This weekend we will open ourselves to these surprising metanoia moments in the gospels and in ourselves, through worship, scripture sharing, and creative expression, as we again seek to encounter the Living Teacher, and the new awakenings to gospel life and joy to which the Teacher may be calling us.

How do we open to the new mind, new heart, new story of boundless Love to which Jesus and the Gospel calls us?  Where is this happening in our community and in each of our hearts?

A hybrid retreat (both in person and remote attendance is available)