Why Fall Retreat?
Fall Retreat is our favorite excuse to get together for a weekend full of worship, community, and fun! There’s something so incredible about getting away from the busyness of school, work, and life and allowing yourself time with God and with your Chi Alpha family. This retreat consists of different worship services and speakers, small group breakout talks with different topics such as “what does surrender really mean?” outdoor games and activities during free time, and late-night bonfires with delicious s’mores. This retreat allows you space to clear your mind from all the distractions of everyday life and to really press in and hear from God more clearly than maybe you ever have. You also get the chance to meet some amazing folks. You’ll leave realizing that you’re a part of something much bigger than yourself. It’s an incredible experience, so please don’t miss it!
"So I went to Fall Retreat, not really expecting much spiritually. I had been on retreats before, and while I wouldn’t say they were bad, I never really experienced any strong spiritual growth, or other major spiritual experiences for that matter. Up until the Saturday night service, nothing had been all that different, but at some point in that service, people were singing and praying. As I was praying, asking God for comfort and reassurance, I felt what I could only describe as a spiritual hug from God. At first I was confused, as I had never experienced something like that before, God had always felt distant in my relationship before, but once I realized what I was feeling, I broke down. It can be considered somewhat unbecoming of a man to cry, but I have no shame saying that I cried tears of relief and joy at feeling that. In fact I still feel those tears a little whenever I think about it…I did not expect it to happen, I thought I would simply have a fun weekend with my friends, but instead I experienced the personal presence and love of God in a way I had never experienced before." - Frederick
"Fall Retreat holds such a special place in my heart because that’s where I had my first real encounter with the Lord. I began to feel encompassed by the Holy Spirit and it was so sweet. Fall Retreat is where I began to really get to know a lot of my current best friends. It also helped me get out of my comfort zone whether that was in different team games or in late night karaoke. I learned so much about God and what a Godly community can look like!" - Lydia
