Emmaus Retreat 2022

Event Phone: 317-821-7527

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It was a joy to be with you all at this year’s reatreat!

Here’s the link to this year’s teachings – enjoy! 

 

https://soundcloud.com/stjohns-campprograms/sets/emmaus-retreat-october-29th-2022-fr-silviu-bunta-on-scriptural-interpretation

 

 

+++  2022 Emmaus Retreat  +++

Saturday, October 29th

Keynote Speaker: Fr. Silviu Bunta

 

 

Our annual fall retreat! This is an all-ages, all-parish retreat, held at Highland Lakes near Monrovia, Indiana. We are excited to welcome back our dear friend, Fr. Silviu Bunta, as this year’s speaker. There will be three speaking sessions, fellowship time, and afternoon recreation. Lunch will be provided as well as child care during the speaking sessions for children 2 thru 12. Highland Lakes retreat center is located on over 400 acres of rolling wooded hills and natural beauty, with plenty of hiking trails and recreational activities. It will be a day filled with wonder and one you won’t forget – don’t miss it for the world! (More info and schedule below.)

 

++ Register by July 31st for a 20% early bird discount! ++

 

The early bird rate is $20 and runs through July 31st, 2022! Standard registration is still a great price at $25, and ends October 16th, 2022. Children 2 and under are free! REGISTER NOW! It is OKAY if you cannot pay the full registration fee up front when you register, as long as full payment is received by October 16th – so don’t wait, register today!!

DON’T let finances be the reason you don’t come!! If you are in need of financial assistance, please speak to your local parish. Scholarships are also available through St. John’s Camp Program’s Scholarship Fund. For more details go to our Scholarship Request page. Again, DON’T let finances be the reason you don’t come!!

Please register asap and spread the word – registration deadline is October 16th, but please register early so we can anticipate attendance!! Invite other friends and family!!

 

Begin your Emmaus Retreat registration by selecting a ticket below!

 

Keynote Speaker: Fr. Silviu Bunta
Venue: Highland Lakes Camp, 7605 IN-39, south of Monrovia, IN

 

Theme: “Scriptural Interpretation as the Encounter of Christ”  Drawing from the ancient saints, through contemporary fathers of our day, Fr. Silviu will be talking about tradition and scripture as “alive” – the experience of the life of faith and ceaseless pursuit by the Lion of Judah.

Fr. Silviu does a wonderful job of making things understandable, tangible, practical, and relatable – and as always, there will be plenty of time for general Q&A at the end of each session, too.

 

ABOUT FR. SILVIU: Husband, father, priest, professor, and friend…   Fr. Silviu is an Orthodox priest and a professor of Old Testament and early Judaism. He grew up and lived in Romania, where he also received his seminary education, before he and his family moved to the United States. He pursued further studies in early Judaism and ancient Christianity at Marquette University, and received his Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in 2005. Since 2007 he has taught as Bible faculty at the University of Dayton, where he is currently an Associate Professor. On occasion, he has also taught Old Testament and language seminars for St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, New York. He was ordained to the diaconate and the priesthood in 2012 and serves under the omophorion of Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin) in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). In 2018 he, together with Fr. Matthew-Peter Butrie, established Cherubim Press, with the blessing of Archbp. Alexander. When he doesn’t write or doesn’t translate from koini (the Scriptures, the Fathers, or Orthodox liturgy), he reads (particularly Dostoevsky), takes long walks, skis, or tends to his small patch of woods.   …but mostly we like him for his bright smile and sense of humor!  🙂

 

Here’s the tentative schedule for the day:

 

 

Contact us if you have any questions! We hope to see you at Emmaus Retreat 2022!

Visit our homepage  for access to pictures, videos, and teachings from previous camps and retreats on our Facebook, YouTube, and SoundCloud pages.

 

With much love for you all; remembering you in our prayers;

Your brothers in Christ,

Jon & Brian

Jon Beecham, Director

Brian Pletcher, Asst. Director

 

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Venue:  

Venue Phone: (317) 481-2400 x200

Venue Website:

Address:
7605 Indiana 39, Martinsville, Indiana, 46151, United States

Description:

Click here to take a virtual tour of Highland Lakes Camp!

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  • Emmaus Retreat 2022
     October 29, 2022
     1:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Our Patron

St. John the Forerunner 

Troparion — Tone 2: The memory of the righteous is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is sufficient for you, O Forerunner. You were shown in truth to be the most honorable of the prophets, for you were deemed worthy to baptize in the streams of the Jordan Him whom they foretold. Therefore, having suffered for the truth with joy, you proclaimed to those in hell God who appeared in the flesh, who takes away the sin of the world, and grants us great mercy.

Kontakion — Tone 6: The river Jordan trembled and was driven back filled with fear at Your coming in the flesh, while John drew back in awe as he fulfilled the ministry of a prophet. The ranks of angels stood amazed, when they beheld You in the flesh being baptized in the streams. And we, who were in darkness, are filled with light as we praise You, who have appeared to enlighten all.

Feeling Right at Home at Camp

Dear Mr. Beecham and Scholarship donors,

I am writing to thank you and the people who donated toward the cause of scholarships for St. John’s camp; for generously gifting me one. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend camp, as it was one of the best times of my life. Thank you so much!

I think my favorite part of camp was the feeling of freedom that came with going to camp. All my councillors in the Junior High boy’s cabin were extremely friendly and understanding when it came to me being homesick on my first day there, and all they wanted to do was help in any way they could. On my second day, I felt right at home. From that point on, everything went smoothly, and I never wanted camp to end. If possible, I plan to enroll and attend next year, as it is now one of the highlights of the year for me.

I also want to thank the staff, because they were very cheerful and helpful, and they too did anything they could do to help. When we had pizza for dinner, (and I couldn’t eat it because I am gluten-free), I told them my problem, and they specially made me a burger on a gluten-free bun. I will never forget how understanding and friendly they were to me. This is why I am grateful for camp.

Again; thank you so much!

Sincerely,

More Then Just a Summer Camp

When my mother first announced that my brother and I would be packing up and heading off to summer camp, we were initially far from eager. But St. Johns’ wasn’t just any camp; it was a church camp. And that meant praying. Lots of praying. And that also meant no technology. Not exactly our idea of a “fun” summer, although after giving it a try we were soon proven wrong.Despite our reluctance, we felt right at home within St. Johns’. I was one of 90 sweaty campers, all of whom were looking to strengthen their faith and to have a good time. From late night swim parties to joyously singing during praise time, it was a week full of dedication, friends, valuable teachings and fun experiences.Our mornings would start at 6:00 for those of us whom were restless enough to go out running. For the rest, it was morning exercises at 7:00. Afterwards, we went to Third Hour prayers and breakfast. First Teaching, counseling groups and Second Teaching were next, followed by a long-awaited lunch. Free time for things such as canoeing, swimming and zip-lining happened before dinner, and the day was then completed with Small Compline and praise time. When the moment came to leave, I probably wasn’t the only one who felt a change. It’s when you find yourself gawking at the sky – just the sheer, beautifulblueness of it – that you know something has changed. A change that allows you to appreciate the little things, to stay awake and to be grateful. And as we stood together in the last few minutes of camp, we sang our final song of praise together; tears rolled down cheeks and farewells were exchanged. But this wasn’t to be the end, of course. Next year we will be reunited with friends both new and old, and in the meanwhile we will take what we have gained in knowledge, and use it to grow closer to God.

Saint John's History

The roots of St. John’s Camp date back to the 1970’s with a growing community of young adults who held frequent retreats together. These retreats focused on community building, studying the early Church fathers, fellowship, prayer, teachings, singing, and games, as they desired to cultivate their life in Christ.

As this community of young believers grew, along with their interest in the ancient Church and liturgy, they eventually became members of the “Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC)”. They began raising families of their own, and soon – as “being fruitful and multiplying” will do – there was a growing number of young children. With an eye towards this next generation, they wanted their children to have the same experience of life in Christ through community and koinonia, thus the camp and retreat tradition continued. Summer camp was held annually in various locations before settling in 1992 at Camp Rivervale in Mitchell, Indiana (where it remains to this day). The summer camp and seasonal retreats drew youth from across the United States as well as Canada. 

In 2002, Holy Trinity EOC parish was brought into the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) under Archbishop Job of blessed memory, in the Diocese of the Midwest. That summer was the first summer as “Saint John’s Camp”. With the same energy and desire to share the experience of community and fellowship in the Kingdom of God, Saint John’s Camp has continued to hold an annual summer youth camp, a fall family retreat, and a winter high school and young adult retreat, still drawing youth from across the United States.

In the words of one of the camp’s original founders, Fr. Joseph Gibson of blessed memory, “One of the main purposes of these gatherings is [and always has been] to bring together people that represent the diversity of the Christian experience, focusing on the lived experience of our young people in the Church in order to create an intensive, Spirit-filled, Life-giving, life-changing community of love, acceptance, non-judgmentalism, and safety.”

By the Grace of God, these camps and retreats have continued for over 40 years, maintaining the same Christ-centered focus on community and fellowship, and nurturing the development of lifelong friendships so that our participants may grow in the fullness of the Orthodox Christian faith and discover the depth of God’s love.

Glory to God for all things!

Winter Retreat

Saint John’s Winter Retreat takes place over students’ winter break. The retreat typically is a long weekend that falls over the New Year’s holiday. Students who are high school and college age may attend to retreat from the stresses they may be facing at the end of the semester and recharge before starting their spring semesters at school. The retreat includes fellowship, prayer, teachings, singing, games, karaoke, and some good old fashioned pick-up football.

Register Now

Emmaus Retreat

Saint John’s Emmaus Retreat is a one day all-ages, all-parish family & adult retreat. A guest speaker is brought in to speak on the theme for the year. A meal and recreation time are shared together throughout the day as well. Free childcare is available to parents during the teaching sessions.

Register Now

Summer Camp

Saint John’s Summer Camp is a weeklong camp for students going into 7th grade through those who just graduated from high school. These age groups are divided up among the campground with special programming geared toward developmentally appropriate themes for each age. The week includes fellowship, daily prayer, Divine Liturgy, teachings, singing, games, a climbing wall and zip-line, refreshing pool and water slide, and a talent/no-talent show – all in beautiful Southern Indiana!

Register Now
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