This popular morning of fellowship and reflection will resume in September, 2011, with presentations continuing in November, January, March and May.  The morning begins with coffee and conversation followed by the presentation at 10:30.  Those who are able are invited to attend the Eucharist at noon.  There is no charge for Second Tuesdays, though a free will offering is very much appreciated.  Dates and speakers are as follows:

November   8, 2011      the Rt. Rev. Roger White, 10^th Bishop of Milwaukee, retired

January     10, 2012       the Rev. Travis DuPriest, former Executive Director of the DeKoven Center

March        13, 2012     the Rev. Kevin Goodman, Associate Dean, St. James Cathedral, Chicago

May             8, 2012     the Rev. Martha Berger, DeKoven Sponsored Programming

The DeKoven Center

600 21^st St. at Wisconsin Avenue

presents

Second Tuesday

with

the Rev. Kevin Goodman

Associate Dean of the Cathedral of St. James, Chicago

March 13, 2012

“Out of the great tribulation”

The Second Tuesday series is held in historic Taylor Hall on the west side of the campus, beginning at 10:00 with coffee and conversation, followed by the presentation in the Library at 10:30. Everyone is cordially invited to this popular morning of fellowship and reflection.    

Father Kevin will share with us 3 video clips from his recent trip to the Sudan, a venture led by Bishop Jeff Lee to support and uphold the burgeoning church in that area.  An accompanying media team recorded the astonishing witness of these Christians of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan who have lived their unwavering faith in the midst of violence and persecution.

Father Kevin’s own theological reflections will accompany the media presentation of these stories, which in so many ways reflect the mystery of the Passion and the Resurrection.  We hope many will join us in welcoming Father Kevin back to DeKoven.  The story he tells is one we will not have the chance to hear again – first hand testimony from those whose faith has been forged in fire!

DEKOVEN’S  LENTEN SILENT RETREAT

March 16-18, 2012

Friday 5:00 pm – Sunday morning Eucharist and  Brunch

WITH

THE REV. MARGARET GUENTHER

BELOVED SPIRITUAL WRITER AND SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE PRIEST

St. Columba’s Church, Washington, D.C.

“Seeking God in Silence and Simplicity”

Even the title of this Retreat is enticing — enticing and inviting to most of us whose lives are often far from silent and by no means simple.  

Time apart with God and self  is every Retreat’s most precious offering, as Margaret knows well.  The silence and balanced hours of this mid-Lent Retreat promises space in our own hearts as we prepare once more to meet Jesus in his passion.  When asked about the gift of Retreat in our lives, Margaret was very certain:

“Jesus said to his friends, ‘Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.’Again and again, he stopped preaching, teaching, healing, and disputing with those authorities who wanted to trip him up.  He left the people who wanted to share a meal with him, and he left those who just wanted a glimpse of him and maybe a chance to touch the hem of his garment.  In seeking refreshment and re-creation  in solitude, Jesus shows us a rhythm of going out and coming in, of departure and return, almost like the regular, life-sustaining rhythm of respiration.  In our over-busy society, it is good to hold this picture of Jesus before us.  It is his life’s practice that most surely restores our balance, corrects our perspective.”

Margaret Guenther brings to us a life-time’s experience in prayer and counseling and writing.  Each of Margaret’s many books, she has written by invitation, a rarity among published authors, and each of them she has lived first by her own life’s practice.  Her latest title, Walking Home: from Eden to Emaeus, recreates the common journey of our lives. 

Margaret’s sense of presence to the group before her is legendary. DeKoven invites you to “Come and see!”

For reservation, email jpeyton@dekovencenter.org

For information on the retreat itself, email kclark@dekovencenter.org

Suggested donation: 200.00   Commuter Rate and Scholarship Aid available!

BLESSED  JAMES  DEKOVEN FESTIVAL  DAY

Sunday March 18, 2012

Evensong

the Rev’d Travis DuPriest, officiant

St. John’s Chapel – five o’clock

Reception and Dinner following in historic Taylor Hall

No reservation necessary for Evensong

Reservation requested for reception and dinner 

Suggested donation: $20:00  Email jpeyton@dekovencenter.org

Keeping this festival day has been one of DeKoven’s longest and most popular traditions.  For the last few years, the Sunday nearest the day itself has been kept with a festive Evensong.   Reception and dinner will follow for those who would like to stay. 

James DeKoven was Racine College’s second president, and by far its most influential. In witness to his service to the church and his life of exceptional

holiness, James DeKoven was named to the official calendar of the Episcopal Church as “blessed” and a specific day set aside in his honor. 

“We hope many will join us in honoring a true saint of Wisconsin, and of North America,” invites Max Dershem, executive director.

For our next New Wine, DeKoven is excited to present the Very Rev. Alan Jones, Dean Emeritus of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, one of the most refreshing Christian apologists of our time.  The Dean is a beloved spiritual writer, the author of 11 books including his latest Common Prayer on Common Ground.  He is also a much sought-after speaker at significant national and international conferences, and continues a skilled and inspired ministry as retreat leader. His insights and topics invariably encourage and challenge.

“What excites me most about Christianity is its surprise factor,” Dean Jones readily admits.  “It bubbles with new ideas and pictures, uncovering God where you least expect, and repeatedly questioning even the most long-held assumptions.  Christianity is risky, challenging, revelatory.  The title of his talk is aptly named, “Recovering the Shock of Christianity, giving Christianity another look, another chance.”

Conversation and hors d’oeurves will be at 5:00, dinner at 6:00, with the Dean’s address following.  The ancient night prayer of Compline will conclude the evening.  Suggested donation for the Wednesday event is $50.00 per person.  If you would like to stay over Wednesday night in Taylor Hall and have breakfast with Alan the next morning, this can be arranged as well. The additional suggested donation for the overnight stay and breakfast is $100 per person.

The Long Silent Retreat

For CSM Associates and all Friends of DeKoven

June 17-21, 2012

(Sunday evening at 5:00 through the Holy Eucharist and Brunch on Thursday)

with

the Rev. Brian Hastings, Rector, Church of our Saviour

Chicago, IL

Spiritual director and gifted retreat leader

It is DeKoven’s real pleasure that Father Brian will be conducting this important retrerat.  We know our “regulars” will be as glad for this announcement as we are to make it!  His meditations  will be new fruit of his own thought and prayer, and of course new fruit for our own.  One thing retreatants have found is that these hours under Father Brian’s guidance open the heart to God in ways sometimes surprising, but always welcome.

The ordered passing of the days creates a community of prayer that gathers everyone into the monastic pattern of Silence, Eucharist, Offices, and Prayer, a life-rhythm Father Brian knows well from his years as a Benedictine monk.  “I didn’t feel that I was called to leave the monastery,” Father Brian once said, “as that I was being called to live the monastic life in the world.”   Retreatants have also discovered that DeKoven itself seems to invite reflection, perhaps because of its long and prayerful history.  In June of course the grounds will be in full summer array for morning or evening walks, and the Lake is a perfect spot both for sunrise and evening star.

Special Reminder: For over half a century this retreat was sponsored by the Sisters. It is our oldest retreat, and most time-honored. This second year after their long hosting may be crucial.  For this reason, DeKoven especially asks that you make early reservation so that we know you are coming.  If you have a friend who would welcome the leisure and the spaciousness of these God-centered days, let us remind you that now is the time for an invitation!

Suggested donation: $300.00   Commuter rate and scholarship assistance available.

For reservation, email jpeyton@dekovencenter.org

For information on the retreat, email kclark@dekovencenter.org

Click the image for a larger, printer-friendly form.

Click here for Bead Camp Registration Form

Advent Retreat, December 2-4, 2011

Our Silent Retreat is set for the first weekend in Advent, with an outstanding leader, Brother Andrew Colquhoun of Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, N.Y., a native Scot who now serves as the Novice Master for North American novices for the Order at both West Park, NY and Santa Barbara, CA monasteries.

His own words about this retreat are exciting: “Scottish people have a name for that time of day between sunset and the dark.  We call it the Gloaming.  It’s a peaceful time.  The labors of the day are finished, the quiet of evening stretches ahead, and the rest of night awaits to refresh us for the next day.  I love that time.  And for me Advent feels like the Gloaming.  Shadows point up the mysterious; expectancy is full, and rest and refreshment lie ahead.  It’s a good season for retreat.  It’s a good time to welcome the darkness that refreshes and restores.

“St. Benedict leads his monks into that kind of between-time.  He calls for prayer, for reflection, for work, and for expectation and longing.  We will reflect on the Saint’s Rule and look for ways to enter fully into the Gloaming and expectancy of God’s fullest love.”

An Advent Retreat is always a new chance to enter a new (and newly busy!) Christmas season with hearts and minds a little more centered, a little more ready.  Even the idea of the Gloaming suggests that “returning and rest” we pray for!  This Retreat promises to be rich in blessing for all of us!  We hope many will join us in welcoming Brother Andrew to DeKoven.  He has promised to bring his Celtic harp to play for us, an unexpected treat.

Suggested donation for this Retreat is $200.00. Commuter rate and Scholarship assistance available.

For reservation, email jpeyton@dekovencenter.org

For more details on the retreat itself, email kclark@dekovencenter.org

A UNIQUE AND EXCITING FALL EVENT!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The DeKoven Center is proud to present acclaimed cellist, composer, producer and filmmaker Michael Fitzpatrick in Concert on November 5 at 7:00 in historic St. John’s Chapel.  The concert is entitled “Tuning the Planet,” honoring the long and unprecedented project Fitzpatrick has pursued in close association with the Dalai Lama. This sacred concert promises to be a unique event for the whole city. It will feature Fitzpatrick’s original compositions and musical meditations on music by J.S. Bach, Ravel, Faure, Schubert and Casals.

A reception in the chapel will follow the performance, with opportunity for conversation with Michael and CD signing.  CDs will be available for purchase.  Tickets are $20.00 and may be reserved by calling The DeKoven Center at 262-633-6401 or emailing kclark@dekovencenter.org.  They may also be purchased at the door.  Seating is limited.

Fitzpatrick is the recipient of the Prince Charles Award for Outstanding Musicianship conferred by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.  He has worked musically with His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the past 15 years on the TUNING THE PLANET project, a musical and film presentation of immense scope dedicated to peace among nations and between all people. A special part of the project involves chanting by Tibetan monks and monks of Thomas Merton’s Gethsemene Abbey in Kentucky, a presentation never before achieved.

Fitzpatrick has performed as soloist around the world, including at the Hollywood Bowl, the National Cathedral, the United Nations, Lincoln Center, the House of Blues, and the United States Capitol West Lawn.  His affiliation with the DeKoven Center dates back several decades to his study at Northwestern University School of Music, from which he received a Bachelor of Music in 1986, and the Performer’s Certificate in 1994. His previous concert in St. John’s Chapel was in 1994.

From The New York Times: “ Virtuosity – a sense of humor – and an ear for musical dialogue.”

From “The Huffington Post: “Possessed of a chill-axed surfer dude vibe, what Fitzpatrick does with a cello cannot adequately be described as mere music; I can best describe the sounds he pours out of that four-stringed instrument as simple beauty that fills one’s soul with nothing less than pure joy and peace.”

Additional information available at www.michaelfitzpatrick.com.  For further information on the performance email kclark@dekovencenter.org

Click for Registration Form

Click for Registration Form