31st October – 3rd November 2024, Yarnfield Park, Staffordshire

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan SILOUAN, the first-ever Archdiocesan Family Retreat was held at Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre in Staffordshire. What began as a parish initiative of St George’s Cathedral has grown into a wider gathering of our Archdiocese, drawing over 50 participants – adults, youth, and children – from across our parishes and beyond.

Retreat Coordinator: James Shraiky
Chaplain: Hieromonk Theodore Stanway (ROCOR). In his role as chaplain Fr Theodore not only served divine services, but was also available throughout for confessions, spiritual counsel, and quiet conversation, providing pastoral support to anyone who wished to speak to him.

The retreat built on the theme of the 2023 St George’s Parish Retreat: Building an Authentic Orthodox Community. The programme was structured around four key pillars:

• Worship: Daily services including Matins, Vespers, Compline, as well as Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
• Fellowship: Shared meals and time spent together.
• Learning: Talks and discussions on spiritual and parish life.
• Community Activities: Team games and evening gatherings.

Click here to view the program of the 2024 retreat.

To encourage connection and collaboration, participants were organised into teams, sharing responsibilities, meals, and activities throughout the weekend.

With nearly 20 children ranging in age from 1 to 15, the retreat made a concerted effort to include them meaningfully in both the liturgical and social life of the event. A parallel children’s programme was offered, featuring talks, supervised play, and creative participation in services – including reading, chanting, and quiet play zones within the chapel. A dedicated team of volunteers supported the children’s activities, enabling parents to fully engage with the retreat programme.

Retreat Highlights by Day

Day 1 – Thursday, 31st October

Guests began arriving from 3:00pm, with the retreat formally opening at 5:30pm with Great Vespers. Fr Theodore offered a warm welcome and homily, setting the tone for the weekend.

After dinner, the teams gathered for an evening of icebreakers and teambuilding games, including tower-building with spaghetti and marshmallows, and a game of cups.

The day closed with Compline, followed by informal fellowship, board games, and singing – a tradition that would continue each evening.

Day 2 – Friday, 1st November

The first full day began with Orthros, followed by a breakfast, and the first keynote talk of the event, delivered by Fr Jonathan Hemmings (Holy Cross Parish, Morecambe): “Becoming Lights for Others in Our Parishes”.

Later, teams prepared for Saturday’s Sahra and then competed in the Amazing Race, which was a spirited set of outdoor challenges, including Egg-and-Spoon, Sack Race, Three-Legged Race, and Tug of War.

In the afternoon, a panel discussion explored how we can better meet each other’s needs in parish life, followed by Vespers commemorating St Raphael of Brooklyn.

The evening ended with a competitive and hilarious game of Jeopardy, complete with the debut of the Jeopardy Trophy and much-deserved bragging rights.

Day 3 – Saturday, 2nd November

After Orthros and breakfast, Fr Theodore delivered the second keynote of the Retreat “Embracing Tradition: Creating Authentic Orthodox Communities Today.”

Participants again prepared for the Sahra, then competed in the large-scale outdoor game of Capture the Flag.

In the afternoon, five parallel talks on spiritual life were offered:

• Married couples
• Single men
• Single women
• Children aged 10–16
• Children aged 4–10

Following Vespers, the evening culminated in the much-anticipated Sahra – a cultural and artistic night of team performances:

• Children sang the “Prayer Rope” song and living Orthodoxy.
• One team performed a play on Noah’s Ark.
• Another produced a short film: “The Straight Path.”
• A third created a video on Saints Boniface and Lioba.
• The final group offered a chant of “Pure Virgin” (Agni Parfene) to the Theotokos.

The Sahra also included a rapid-fire quiz and biblical charades

Day 4 – Sunday, 3rd November

The retreat concluded with the Sunday Divine Liturgy, followed by a short closing ceremony where each child received a certificate of participation.

In one final session, teams shared their reflections and takeaways:

Inspiration to carry the retreat’s spirit back into parish life.
One participant remarked on the beauty of people serving one another throughout the weekend.

A deepened sense of community and belonging.

A recognition of the value of intergenerational learning.

Thank you!

We give thanks to God for this retreat. Sincere thanks to:

• Our chaplain, Fr Theodore, for his prayerful guidance.
• Fr Jonathan, our guest speaker, for his inspiring words.
• All volunteers and organisers, especially James Shraiky.
• And most of all, to every participant, for their presence, joy, openness, and contributions.

It was a truly edifying experience. An extended weekend in which we did not just talk about community, but lived it.

We look forward to seeing you at next year’s retreat – God willing!