“Retreat is neither whim nor luxury nor self-indulgence, but a rock-bottom staple of a healthy life,” Philip Zaleski wrote in The Recollected Heart. “We need retreat as surely as we need oxygen or protein.” Holly W. Whitcomb, a United Church of Christ pastor and author of Feasting with God, would agree. This graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and director of Kettlewood Retreats believes that these oases in time are an essential element of the deepening of Christian faith and practice. In this user-friendly paperback, Whitcomb has designed seven retreats that can be used by men’s or women’s groups, church councils, or any other small group in a congregation.
Each retreat is organized around a practice in classical Christian spirituality: the Sabbath, hospitality, prayer and action (intercession), fasting, giving back to God, purpose and vocation, and accountability. The elements in these one-day retreats include meditations, suggestions for art and ritual, discussion questions, journaling, and options for longer retreats.
The one that spoke to us most forcefully was the one on fasting, which the author subtitles “An Invitation to Relinquishment and Self-Emptying.” Although Americans comprise slightly less than five percent of the world’s population, we create and consume nearly thirty percent of its Gross World Product. In light of these startling figures, it is entirely appropriate for Christians to take a hard look at overattachment to things and giving up harmful behaviors connected with our overconsumption habits. Of course, as Whitcomb points out, the act of self-emptying leaves more room for God.
