Every summer, young adults from all over the country gather at the Community of the Cross in Black Mountain to take part in an outstanding opportunity for spiritual growth and challenge.
With the Wind is a spiritual formation retreat that features teaching, prayer, worship, and fellowship designed to help young adults learn to hear and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in their everyday lives.
The Swannanoa Valley
As I (Danielle) reflect on my experience at With the Wind eight months later, I realize that my favorite aspect of With the Wind was the joyful, encouraging, and challenging fellowship, made possible by the structure of the event.
The teaching and ministry encouraged in-depth conversations about the nature of our giftings, our dreams and passions, and how God might be calling us to use those gifts and passions for His glory.
Times of prayer and ministry allowed us to apply what we were learning about listening and discernment to minister to one another.
In worship and at the barn dance we laughed, sang, and danced together, experiencing the joy of spirit-filled community.
The Community of the Cross itself provided a welcoming yet contemplative setting, bursting with natural beauty, in which to connect with God and each other.
Doug Chu and Adam Rampersaud leading worship
At last year’s retreat, event director Susan Finck received discernment for With the Wind 2016 during a time of worship.
As we sang about “dancers who dance upon injustice”, she realized that the theme for next year should be “Dancing On Injustice: When the Holy Spirit Invites us to Step Out”.
We will be adapting the Evangelism Dunamis for this year’s teaching, learning to listen to the Holy Spirit, other people, and the context God places us in so that we can recognize and respond to God’s invitations to engage with others and the world He loves.
We will be exploring what it means to listen and respond through lab times, time in small groups, solo time to connect with God on our beautiful land, and times of fun and fellowship. (The past several years we’ve had a blast at the community barn dance!)
Walking at the COC
Participants will stay onsite in our log house, so they will need to bring a sleeping bag, but we would like to emphasize that we don’t sleep in tents.
There is no charge for the retreat; we encourage students to give as they are blessed to an offering for covering costs and extending the vision.
So many young adults are making crucial life decisions without the benefit of scriptural teaching about discernment and the encouragement of spirit-fueled fellowship.
Please pray about sharing this opportunity with any young adults (18-30) you know and love who are growing in their faith and seeking encouragement–and challenge!
