In-Town, October 17-18
PARISH RETREAT 2025
The parish retreat is a time to renew our life together as a community rooted in Christ. It offers space to strengthen our bonds as brothers and sisters in faith, deepening both our sense of belonging and our shared calling.
We are blessed to welcome Bishop Jeff Bailey, who will speak on the Holy Spirit and the Spirit's work in our lives. He will reflect on how, like the breath of God, the Spirit fills us—an inhale that renews our hearts—then moves through us, exhaling God’s goodness into the world around us.
Our hope is that in this retreat you will encounter the Spirit afresh, filling your life with the knowledge and love of Christ, so that his blessing may continue to flow through you into the life of the parish and beyond.
About our Speaker
Prior to his election as Bishop of the C4SO Diocese, Jeff Bailey, Ph.D., served as a priest at Church of the Advent in Washington, DC. His background includes a decade in parish ministry as both pastor and church planter, followed by eight years in England, where he taught public theology at the University of Cambridge and later led the Centre for Social Justice, a London-based think tank addressing poverty and economic opportunity. A graduate of Duke University and the University of Cambridge, Jeff lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, Alicia, a psychotherapist in private practice. Together they have three children in high school and college.
Breakout Sessions
The following breakout sessions (located on or near the Christ Church campus) will be offered on Saturday afternoon. In the registration process, you'll be given the opportunity to select two sessions. Childcare is available during the first breakout session only by clicking the button below.
Journey Out
East Austin Neighborhood Tour
and Prayer Walk
God has placed Christ Church in a unique location full of history, beauty, pain, and purpose. The East Austin Neighborhood Tour will help toot you in the redemptive history of our parish! You'll learn the unique history of our neighborhood and the pathways opened to us to be a blessing to the unhoused, chronically hungry children, the lonely aging, and refugees – all within a three-mile radius of our church. Get out, move your legs, and join us for a prayerful mini-pilgrimage through our parish!
Comal Park Clean Up
With Debra Johnson
Join Debra Johnson to learn more about a locally adopted park, Comal Pocket Park. Christ Church will "journey out" to love and serve our city in the most practical of ways. You are invited to get out, get moving, and love where you live!
Beauty and Brokenness
Kintsugi and the Art of Formation in Christ
with Mother Nancy Lewis
Kintsugi is a Japanese art form where broken pottery is repaired in a way that makes it more beautiful than before, mirroring Jesus' work in redeeming the sin and brokenness in each of us. Participants will learn and practice Kintsugi as a metaphor for formation in Christ. There will be reflection questions and journaling prompts around the experience.
Technology and our Children
with Olivia and Kurt Bruner
This breakout will examine the science of how technology affects children's brains, as well as the spiritual effects on their souls. We will identify solutions that address the problem at its core and look at how to create an environment that produces real-life fun, meaningful relationships, life skills, and strong family connections. Kids in 4th grade and older are welcome in this session!
Sacred Work
Finding God in the Details of Daily Vocation with A.J. Watson
Join us for a contemplative exploration of God's presence in the everyday details of our work and calling. Through reflection and shared contemplation, we'll explore how our vocations can deepen our love for God as Creator and Artist.
Hang with Bishop Jeff
We have two special breakout sessions where you can spend time with our new bishop, Jeff Bailey. One of the joys of having Jeff be our keynote speaker is that we get to know our new bishop, who is our chief pastor, a little bit more and in a personal setting. This breakout session will meet in a parishioner's home just a couple of blocks from Christ Church. You can walk there, have some extended time over drinks and snacks to talk with the bishop, ask questions, and hear more about his heart for ministry, and introduce yourself. It will be a relationally rich time.
Holey Moley
Youth are Invited!
Saturday, 3pm–5pm. All Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers are invited to meet Beau and other leaders at Holey Moley Gold Club Austin (817 E 4th street) where they will enjoy the mini-golf course, as well as a karaoke room for that two-hour period. This is free! Note: Please meet Beau at Holey Moley. Beau and attendees will then will walk back to the Church together afterwards.
*Please note: Breakout sessions that are currently full are grey'd out. We understand breakout sessions have filled up quickly, and we anticipate more breakout session availability the day of the retreat. Please check with a staff member at the check-in table on Saturday morning if you would like to see what breakout sessions have room.
Saturday All-Day Options:
Contemplative Space
at the Greenhouse
Intentional quiet as a tool for spiritual formation can help create the necessary space to listen, reflect, and surrender. The Greenhouse will be set aside as a contemplative space where different stations will be set up to invite experiential prayer and reflection.
Football & Games
in the Parish Hall
On Saturday afternoon the UT football game will be streaming in the Parish Hall where you will also find a selection of board games available on the tables for those who would like to play!
Freeplay & Fellowship
in the Christ Church backyard
The Christ Church backyard will be open for freeplay and outdoor fellowship Saturday afternoon.
Ice Cream Floats
in the Courtyard
We will offer ice cream floats featuring a variety of different soda options in the Christ Church Courtyard for those who would like to partake the sweetness!
Weekend Schedule
check back closer to the retreat for a more detailed schedule.
Friday: Get ready to kick off our Parish Retreat with Parish Fun Night at the Martin Pavilion, located within Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St, Austin, TX 78702. We'll have delicious food, exciting games, and an intergenerational kickball game that's sure to be a blast for everyone! There's even a playspace right next to the pavilion for the little ones. Feel free to arrive whenever you can after 6 PM.
Saturday: Between sessions, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy ice cream floats in the courtyard! On Saturday afternoon, we'll shift gears for some relaxed fellowship. Join us for an afternoon of camaraderie, featuring football games on the big screen and a selection of board games for all interests. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, connect with fellow parishioners, and enjoy some friendly competition. Located in the Parish Hall
PARKING
The small parking lot connected to our backyard will be reserved for limited mobility parking only, please reserve those spaces for those in need. Additional handicap parking will also be available in the Christ Church Large Parking Lot.
Our large parking lot will be open and we have additional parking at the Terrazas Libray. Please see the map below for a detailed view.
