2026 Pastors Retreat
(For Congregational & Validated Ministries)
“Moving from Fear to New Possibilities”
You’re Invited!
Dates & Cost:
October 21-23
$200 Per Pastor
*If you find that attending would be prohibited due to finances you may reach out in confidence to Deborah Milcarek.
**Due to the nature of this retreat and the topics covered, participation is limited to pastors only (not open to partners at this time).
Registration:
Your registration is not confirmed until payment is received. The final deadline for payment is September 9. If payment is not received by this date, the hold on your registration will be canceled.
Registration & Paymen Required by September 9th.
It’s good to get away—away from the noise, the demands, the constant hum of a world that rarely pauses. Sometimes we retreat to learn, to grow. But other times, we step back not to gain more knowledge or complete another task, but to simply be. To unplug. To set aside the compulsion to produce and perform. In that sacred pause, we reconnect—with ourselves, with creation, with the Spirit that has been present all along, waiting quietly for us to notice.
That’s what this year’s pastor retreat is really about—taking an intentional pause. It’s a chance to break the rhythm of consuming and performing, and instead simply be—to dwell in the presence of something spiritual, something sacred. In the midst of all that swirls around us—news headlines, deadlines, personal demands—don’t we all long for a moment to pause? To breathe? To remember that we are more than the expectations that we and others place upon ourselves?
We hope you’ll consider joining us for this year’s clergy retreat. If you’ve spoken with those who attended last year, I’m sure they’ve already shared what a blessing it was—a time of renewal, connection, and grace. And for a retreat focused on grounding (or perhaps re-grounding) ourselves, what better setting than Mercy by the Sea, nestled along the Long Island Sound—a place where land meets water, and stillness invites us in.
*Check-in will likely begin around 3 pm.
Retreat Leader
Elder Susan Krehbiel (she/her)
Susan serves as the Social Justice Consultant with the Presbytery of Baltimore with primary attention to the Dismantling Racism Team (DRT). She is also a certified trainer with Dialogue for Peaceful Change. Her responsibilities include supporting learning opportunities for members of the presbytery and local church leadership, and providing resources and referrals to congregations on a wide range of social justice concerns, including racial justice and immigrant rights. Susan is semi-retired after ten years with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) where she was responsible for directing their support to regional bodies, local congregations, national and international partners in their ministries with refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced populations. She is a skilled workshop leader and facilitator. Susan has 35 years of non-profit experience, as a service provider and advocate for refugee rights. She worked closely with the US government, U.S. based and international organizations to promote public policies to protect these vulnerable populations and provide appropriate services for their recovery and success. Susan and her husband are active members of Catonsville Presbyterian Church. She has an MA in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Spanish from the College of Wooster.
Cooking Class
Want to polish your skills or learn something new? You will want to check out this class taught by local Connecticut chef Paul Barron, who has worked in a number of popular restaurants in the area and has started his own venture focused exclusively on in-home dining experiences.
Location:
Mercy by the Sea
167 Neck Road
Madison, CT 06443-0191
“Mercy by the Sea believes in the sacred nature of the individual and all of creation. Our programs, retreats and events encourage individuals to listen into and trust the still inner voice. From that place deep longings, creative imagination and fledgling efforts in service of a greater good can emerge, be nurtured and spread in the world.”
