Wesley of Macon

By Brandon Tolle, Wesley of Macon Campus Minster

The Wesley of Macon Fall Retreat has always been a special time to connect with new friends, hang out, and grow in faith together. But for the college students and young adults who went on Wesley of Macon’s retreat this October, it was even more meaningful because it was the first time they had been able to travel together in almost two years.

The young adults were at Camp Kaleo in Forsyth for three days. They led worship, played games, enjoyed good conversations on the rocking chair porch, and savored the time together with friends from three different colleges in Macon. This sort of time away is crucial for these college students. They often are balancing school, jobs, and extracurriculars that can lead to an overwhelming schedule. Retreats like this help them rest, unplug, and reinvest in their relationship with God and with one another.

“I really enjoyed being able to go out into nature and seek God there,” said Ashton Bearden, a retreat participant and senior at Mercer University. “There were times where I would feel such peace because of the woods, and I felt God’s presence while I was out there. I also really enjoyed coming together with other believers to worship and learn more about God in that space. Worship was something that was really low key and low pressure. It felt like we were all working together to create this beautiful harmony of praise to God.”

The theme for this year’s retreat was “Worth It.” The students explored together both how and why a life devoted to seeking God and loving others is a worthy pursuit. All who attended received a custom devotional booklet, individual pastoral counseling, and opportunities to attend breakout sessions where they learned and practiced new spiritual disciplines, explored the enneagram, focused on physical health and wellness, and studied scripture. Wesley of Macon’s next scheduled retreat will be in February at Camp Tygart in Ray City, Ga.