Retreat!!

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Several images come to mind when we hear the word RETREAT!! It’s only been two weeks since we celebrated the Fourth of July, so I’d like to begin with a summary of one of George Washington’s military retreats I found on History.com by Evan Andrews. 

Less than two months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4th, 1776, General George Washington’s Army was in a fight for its life. They had failed to prevent a British amphibious attack on Long Island. Following a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn, some 9,000 Americans were immobilized against the East River.

British General Howe was settling in for a siege. So, Washington ordered his men to round up all the flat-bottomed boats they could find. It was pouring down rain, but Washington used his quickly assembled fleet to silently transport unit after unit across the river to the safety of Manhattan. Meanwhile, the regiment of Massachusetts fishermen that manned the boats used rags to muffle the sound of their oars, and campfires were left burning to deceive the British.

By sunrise, many still needed to be evacuated, but luckily for Washington, a dense fog rolled in and masked the final stages of the withdrawal. By the time the British finally realized what was happening, all 9,000 colonists had slipped away along with most of their equipment and artillery.  Continental officer Benjamin Tallmadge later wrote, “In the history of warfare I do not recollect a more fortunate retreat.”  

After graduation from college, I returned home and found my family belonged to the Huntington Militia and I joined them, as well. We traveled around to reenact Revolu-tionary War battles. One of them was The Battle of Long Island aka the Battle of Brooklyn. My Mom dressed up as a camp follower, my Dad and brother John dressed up as militia men and I dressed up as a solider and fifer. And, yes, I learned to shoot a musket!! Here I am with my Dad.

This is just to say that for us, reenacting battles were a way to retreat from the stress and demands of everyday life. It was a time to make friends, foster relationships and have fun. So a retreat is a time to step back, relax, and renew so that we can refresh ourselves to tackle the stresses of every day life.

At the opening of our gospel lesson, Jesus gathers his disciples together. He had send them out two by two to proclaim the good news of God.  And now they have returned.

Knowing the demands of ministering to the masses and feeling the pressure of the ever increasing crowds pressing upon him, Jesus says to his disciples, “Come away to deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. He suggests that they find a place where they can pray and relax. In other words, step back he is saying, “Get away from the suffocating crowds that are barraging us with their daunting demands.It’s not that Jesus doesn’t want to help the crowds. He does! But he wants them to discern God’s will. He needs time to unwind, to gain some relief so that his disciples and he can regroup, be refreshed, renewed, and revived in order to move forward to do God’s work. Even Jesus and his disciples needed time away,

Vacations and retreats are necessary for self-care. Vacations are like retreats because we step away from ordinary life to do something different and enjoyable. What happens when we don’t take time for a vacation? We get grumpy and we risk burning out!! 

There have been times when Sue Keffer has called out RETREAT!! at a Stephen Leaders meeting. It’s a call for us to withdraw and take time away in a quiet and secluded place where we can relax. One year Sally graciously offered us her Brigantine shore home where we could refresh, renew, and revive ourselves. It was a delightful place to plan for the following program year.

There are times when our Church Council gets together for a retreat. We withdraw to another place other than the church parlor because just a change of scenery can be refreshing. It’s a good time to get to know each other better. It is also liberating to be away from familiar surroundings in order to brainstorm new ideas and set goals for the coming year.

Each year our confirmation classes, go on a retreat. It gives the youth a time to relax, get to know each other, as well as, learn some different things outside the regular confirmation curriculum. Basically, a retreat is a time to step back in order to move forward.

So, Jesus and his disciples go away in a boat to a deserted place by themselves. As Jesus goes ashore he looks out upon the crowd that has gathered and has compassion on them, because they are like sheep without a shepherd. 

Right now our church is in a time of transition. Our lead shepherd has retired and we are in a time of discernment. It is almost, in a sense, a time of retreat because we are stepping back to revaluate our ministries and mission as the body of Christ. Who are we as a congregation and who do we want to be? What are our values, goals and mission? And how might we achieve them? What are new ways we can reach out to those outside our walls and proclaim the Good News of Christ’s love for all? What kinds of ministries do we want to engage in? These questions are part of visioning in a church undergoing the transition process.

You know, last week I checked out our group FaceBook page. I don’t know whether you know this or not, but we are reaching people far beyond our walls—people from all over the country. How might we better engage them?

So, this time is important. I know it has created anxiety for some of you. Some even want to rush the process. But let me remind you that we have Jesus our. Good Shepherd to lead and guide us. So, let’s take a moment a moment…right now to do something that is out of the box for a sermon. Let’s pause…look to our Good Shepherd…and pray for our church. I want you to relax, close your eyes, and place the open palms of you hands on you knees. Let us pray….Amen

We continue. Jesus offers a word of caution to his disciples and that applies to today’s church. We need times when we retreat from our individual activities—even those activities done in the name and for the sake of Jesus to re-form ourselves as the body of Christ. 

But what do we do when we try to retreat, as Jesus and the disciples did, and instead of finding a deserted place in which we can find some rest, we find more and more work needs to be done or think of people who are in need of our care?

An eighteenth–century spiritual director Jean-Pierre de Caussade taught that God reveals Godself in each moment of the day. Perhaps we might consider learning to pay attention to God’s presence and surrender ourselves continually to God’s will. Take little times during our day to pray.

So, I implore you to trust God in the process. God will provide for all our needs. Whether through times of spiritual retreat or through God’s prodding us to minister in outwardly directed activities, De Caussade writes, “Everything turns to bread to nourish me, soap to wash me, fire to purify me, and a chisel to fashion me in the image of God. Grace supplies all my needs.”

And so we ask Lord Jesus, help us, like a Shepherd.  Lead Us! Not in a militaristic way as George Washington might, but in a spiritual way. Not in a self-serving way, but in God’s way. As we follow His lead in this transition, God will refresh us, renew us, and revive us to think in new ways. The Holy Spirit will open our minds to new opportunities, and prepare us for new ways to spread the Good News and serve others in His name.

So, RETREAT!! Jesus will show us the way.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.