Men’s Retreat
Hills Creek State Park
March 9-11, 2007

       Our long anticipated men’s retreat (or as we have been jokingly referring to it—our “advance”) found us at beautiful Hills Creek State Park in upstate Pennsylvania. Nine men from the Frystown assembly employed this weekend as an opportunity to get away from our everyday cares, reconnect with one another as brethren, and spend time together in prayer and Bible Study.

      After arriving Friday evening, we had a late supper and set the markers for the weekend. We had rented a rustic log cabin in the park, and the secluded nature of its location helped a lot in making this a time we could devote to introspection.

      One of the topics we addressed dealt with the feminization of our modern culture, and compared it to Yahweh’s description and plan for men and society in general. Another topic dealt with the temptations and stresses of modern life which all men confront at some level.

      Various brothers related their ways of heading off problems before they become engrained habits. Leadership in the home and assembly were also discussed, and we had reinforced the necessity of standing in the authority position of Yahshua. Only with His help can the men live up to the high calling of being effective leaders in their home and among Yahweh’s people.

      Sabbath morning, after breakfast and devotions, we went out and enjoyed some of Yahweh’s creation. Just a short walk through the snow was a beaver pond, with a beaver lodge in the center of it. As the later stages of this year’s winter have been exceptionally cold, we were able to actually walk out to it and check it out. As we headed that way, one of the brothers posited that we were following in Yahshua and Peter’s footsteps, jokingly suggesting that Yahshua may have frozen the water before they got out of the boat!

      We were also reminded of the uncertainty of nature, when several times while on the ice we could hear it cracking and shifting. One of those times the newly formed crack actually ran between us, and we could feel the ice drop on one side. Next thing I knew, two of the brothers were headed for the tall marsh grass on shore, which caused the rest of us no little amount of laughter. The truth is, the ice was well over six inches think, and was not about to spill us into the drink.

      As we continued our walk some of the men broke off to walk alone, and they came across a “sugar shack,” a small shed where maple syrup was in the process of being cooked. This area of Pennsylvania makes some of the best maple syrup in the United States, and I was sorry not to find out about the shack until after the owners had closed up for the day. However, the sweet smell of cooking maple sap permeated the air, so all was not a complete loss.

      After more good food (there was plenty, as the women thought we men were helpless and couldn’t survive the weekend, and so sent extra food) more prayer, and more discussion, we retired at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. Next morning, we had a huge breakfast, more prayer and time together, and then all too soon it was time to leave our little cabin in the snowy woods and head for home.

      All in all, this was a great time of fellowship and connecting in ways we hadn’t in the past. Learning of our common struggles, difficulties and shared vision of living forever in Yahweh’s eternal Kingdom all served to draw us closer together. I guess you could say we are now a “band of brothers (in Yahshua).”

HalleluYah!