Date/Time
Date(s) - 17 September 2024
17:30 - 19:00

For full details about the Retreat in Daily Working Life, look at our Retreat Information Sheet.

When does the Retreat run?

The Retreat starts with the Opening Meeting on Tuesday 17 September, at 5.30 for 6-7pm at our ChaplaincyPlus office in Newhall Street. It runs for a six week period and finishes with the closing meeting on Tuesday 5 November.

What does the Retreat involve?

• The heart of the Retreat is daily individual private prayer, for perhaps 30 minutes each day.
• Also, once a week you will meet with your allocated prayer companion for about 30 minutes, either online or in person, at a time that works for you, fitting round work commitments.
• And we ask all participants to make a priority of attending the in person Opening and Closing Meetings, so that we make connections across the Birmingham business community through the Retreat.

What does it cost to join in this Retreat? We suggest a donation of £20 towards the work of Manresa Link . However, we do not want the cost to preclude anyone from participating: please speak to Sarah Thorpe if you need to discuss this aspect. Additionally, ChaplaincyPlus relies on donations to deliver our vision to help people encounter the depth dimension of faith and life, so we are giving those who chose to do so the opportunity to support ChaplaincyPlus with a further (optional) donation to enable our work to remain open to all. 

The Opening and Closing Meetings are important parts of our Retreat.  As well as going deeper in our relationship with God through the six weeks, the Retreat gives a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our sense of community with others who are working in Birmingham.  So we ask everyone who joins in the Retreat to make a priority of attending our Opening Meeting on Tuesday 17 September and our Closing Meeting on Tuesday 5 November at 5:30 for 6-7pm.  These meetings are for all participants and prayer companions. Both meetings will take place at our ChaplaincyPlus offices (with Agape) at 167 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 1SW (a 10-15 minute walk from New Street Station and from the Church of England cathedral). Join us for refreshments from 5:30pm and our meeting will run from 6-7pm. It will be good to see you there.

What about confidentiality and safeguarding?

Everything that you share with your prayer companion is confidential, unless it involves safeguarding issues.  Your prayer companion will seek advice/guidance on any allegation or disclosure of information that indicates a child or adult may be at risk of significant harm, including:

• Past abuse where the perpetrator still has contact with children or adults at risk of harm; and
• A person currently experiencing abuse, witnessing it, or directly or indirectly involved.

Here, any necessary steps will be taken, which may include the possibility of making a report to the statutory authorities.  Equally, if there is believed to be an immediate risk/danger, we will report to the Police.  When you book on to the Retreat, you confirm your awareness of and acceptance of this.

If you have any questions please contact the Retreat Team, Sarah Thorpe, Susan Winsor and Claire Broadbent on retreat@chaplaincyplus.org.uk (or Sarah Thorpe sarah.thorpe@chaplaincyplus.org.uk  or 0798 224 8949).

Please note that we will share your booking information with Manresa Link, in order to allocate prayer companions appropriately and so that, for the purposes of practical arrangements for the retreat only, Manresa Link or your prayer companion can contact you: by entering booking information, you are agreeing to ChaplaincyPlus sharing this information with Manresa Link, on this basis.  If you need to know more on this, you are welcome to contact Sarah Thorpe (sarah.thorpe@chaplaincyplus.org.uk).