A retreat is your chance to step aside from life for a while, to rest and just 'be' in a welcoming, peaceful place.
Join us as a Member
If you are interested in the work of the Retreat Association, why not consider getting involved by becoming a member?
The benefits of membership include:
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A free subscription to the Retreats handbook.
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Events, networks and retreats organised by member groups.
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Newsletters and email news bulletins during the year.
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Advance notice of conferences, with the opportunity for reductions on booking costs.
How membership supports our activities
On behalf of its members the Retreat Association works in the following areas:
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Offers individual, appropriate and impartial advice to whoever contacts the national office, whatever their background or belief - ranging from experienced practitioners in the field to those at a time of crisis seeking support and advice.
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Enables people to find a spiritual director or mentor in their local area.
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Encourages and supports the ministry of spiritual direction through training conferences, maintaining a list of local spiritual direction courses and developing the first set of National Guidelines in Spiritual Direction in 2016.
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Provides a range of resources (including the Retreats handbook) - a comprehensive website, leaflets and packs to help people discover and deepen their faith journey.
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In partnership with retreat centres, facilitates regional training days to enable members to offer their local community the opportunity to find space for reflection.
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Facilitates a 3-day national conference every 3 years for some 300 members, retreat house wardens, leaders, spiritual directors and other practitioners, to enable an exchange of good practice and expertise.
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Develops partnerships with people working in an environment where the need for reflection and a safe space may be more significant e.g. offering retreats to inner city young people.
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Works imaginatively to make retreats and spiritual direction more accessible to all through its annual Stop in the Name of God weekend.
Membership of the Retreat Association helps to support all these areas of our work.
How to join
Members become part of one of our member groups. These work together, as well as independently, toward the common aims of the Association.
Our non-denominational group is known as the Affiliates of the Retreat Association. There are also Anglican, Catholic and Methodist member groups.
If you would like to become a member of the Affiliates of the Retreat Association, please complete your payment online.
Membership for Retreat House Wardens
Retreat house members of the Retreat Association receive a free entry in Retreats, as well as two complimentary copies of the handbook. Both residential and non-residential centres can become members.
Annual subscriptions vary according to the size of your centre – please contact us for more information on retreat house membership.
We offer a number of other services to help retreat centres. See our wardens page for details.