Getting your schedule/agenda together before you come is vital to a successful retreat. We want to help you have the most successful retreat and time at Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center, please let us know if there is any way we can help. We have a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your retreat.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a retreat.
Write down the order and add times to everything you want to do on the trip.
Share your schedule with someone before you come to check over it for you.
Limit lecture/preaching time to 20 minutes or less per session.
Share your schedule with your participants. Do not make it a secret (unless you have something special planned).
Camp surroundings are a huge benefit for your retreat. Make sure you have enough time for them to reflect and relax on campus.
Take time to pamper your group. They made the time to be at the retreat, help them feel special. Here are some ideas:
Roast s’mores over an evening campfire.
Bring a chair message therapist.
Provide gift bags with special treats.
Write personal notes for staff to receive when at check in.
Time to relax in a rocking chair overlooking the lake.
One of our groups provides comfy socks to each participant.
Avoid using “icebreaker” anywhere on the agenda. We’re not saying you should not have them, only that people tend to think icebreakers are dumb and dread it when they know that is what is about to happen. So be sneaky about your plans to break the ice. Build it in organically or call it something else.
Do fun stuff. Part of the point of a retreat is to provide opportunities for your group to connect in ways they would not ordinarily, and that won’t happen if you don’t intentionally allow time for it. So, plan a few fun teambuilding activities. At Glen Lake Camp, that could mean you bring headlamps and go on a night hike to the cross. Or, schedule our climbing wall, zipline, canoes, or fishing. If you want team-building as the focus of your retreat, consider scheduling the Glen Lake Challenge Course.
Eat well. No one, and we mean no one, has positive memories of a retreat when the food was not good. That’s why at Glen Lake Camp, we listen to your requests to help make sure you have plenty of great options.
Simplify your agenda. Remember, it’s a retreat. You do not want participants to leave feeling like they need a few days to recuperate from the demanding schedule you kept. That means agenda quality over quantity. Plan large blocks of time and focus on the most important thing
Meals are served at 8am, 12pm, and 5pm in the Dining Room.
Our retreat coordinator, Susan Sledge, would love to connect with you to make your Retreat the best possible. Give her a call or email at 254-897-2247 or susan@glenlake.org. #ExpectGreatThings
Download our FREE Retreat Planning Guide.