Journey Leader – Leadership in the Body of Christ is following and serving – following Jesus under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and serving others in love. The Journey Leader leads the team and facilitates meetings after Evening with the Holy Spirit. He or she works with the Spiritual Guide to organize the JOURNEY with Christ meetings, the retreat weekend and activities of the team, assists all the ministry leaders, prays for the team and gives the final witness talk on Discipleship during the weekend retreat. Specific responsibilities:

Pray for the team, for the retreatants, for the parish.
Familiarize yourself with the entire JOURNEY process. Work with the Spiritual Guide and the Continuation Committee to identify contacts and guidelines for sacristy, facilities, weekend retreat, copying, supplies, website, budget, etc.
Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Coordinate and plan team JOURNEY with Christ segments in cooperation with the Spiritual Guide.
Between meetings, stay in communication with team members. Know the status of all ministries.
Conduct as much “business” as possible outside of JOURNEY with Christ meetings, so the focus of JOURNEY with Christ can be on opportunities for spiritual growth
Prepare witness talk on Discipleship.
Invite a teen witness, based on feedback from the team.
Pair up witnesses and Table Leaders, in cooperation with the Spiritual Guide.
In collaboration with the Spiritual Guide, assign retreatants to tables. With prayer, random seating is best, although it is best to separate best friends. Strive for a good distribution of age and vocation.
Remind Table Leaders to call retreatants prior to the retreat weekend.
Support physical arrangements in setting up for the retreat weekend.
Help welcome retreatants to the retreat weekend.
Make decisions on starting time and late arrivals. Be sure “no shows” are called.
Make remarks during the retreat weekend according to the timeline/script.
Work with the Weekend Coordinator to stay on schedule.
Remind everyone of the importance of confidentiality regarding what people share during JOURNEY with Christ and the retreat weekend.
Assist with distribution of Agape letters.
Work with the incoming Spiritual Guide, the current Spiritual Guide and the Continuation Committee to organize The JOURNEY Begins.
Remind Table Leaders to call retreatants regarding The JOURNEY Begins.

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Witnesses – – share their stories as a way of illustrating how God works in our lives and God’s immense love for us. When people share the depth of their experience, other people are moved. A witness does not just share background information nor the facts of his or her history, but the specifics of God’s actions around a specific theme. Witnesses also assist Table Leaders in their ministry.

Preparing to witness and specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Read all of the witness themes so that your witness talk fits into the overall weekend. Ensure that the theme of your witness is clear and compelling for those who hear it.
Pray.
Read Scripture. Include appropriate Scripture passages in your witness talk. Cite chapter and verse, using the version of the Bible used during the weekend.
Call on the Holy Spirit to assist in preparing your witness.
With the theme as your guide, select experiences from your life that illustrate the theme. You should not share your entire life story. Focus on examples of spiritual growth, conversion, healing and forgiveness.
Do not give advice or tell others how they should grow.
Practice presenting your witness. Use notes to stay on track. It is better not to read your witness talk. Stay within the allotted time frame.
Present your witness talk during the appropriate JOURNEY with Christ meeting. Graciously accept feedback from your team.
Pray with your prayer partner.
Write Agape letters to all the retreatants.
Invite your family and friends to pray for you in the chapel during your witness.
Assist the Table Leader with shared prayer, activities, welcoming, etc.
Pray in the chapel prior to your Witness talk. The Weekend Coordinator will call you back to the Witness Room when it is time for you to speak.
Return to the chapel to pray following your witness.
Return to the Witness Room and sit in the back during the presentations following your witness.
Return to your table following the presentations.

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Table Leaders – are the welcoming face of the retreat team for those who attend the retreat. They facilitate discussion at the tables after each witness talk, lead shared prayer, involve everyone in activities and minister to the needs of those at their tables. Table Leaders listen with empathy, encourage engagement and serve the retreatants. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray with your prayer partner.
Practice listening with empathy.
Be familiar with all the witness themes. Reflect on examples from your life that illustrate the theme, so you are prepared to share at your table.
Write Agape letters to all the retreatants.
Call those assigned to your table prior to the retreat weekend to remind them of the commitment and answer questions.
Welcome all those assigned to your table. Double check that name tags are correct.
Notify the Journey Leader and Weekend Coordinator if someone is missing from your table.
Be aware of all the people at your table. Encourage those who do not participate. Be sensitive. If you sense someone is struggling, approach the person privately during a break.
Pay full attention to witness talks and take notes. Set an example for the table.
Lead the table in shared prayer.
Explain activities to the table and assist as needed.
During table sharing, listen. Keep the focus on the theme, not the person who gave the witness talk. Use starter questions if necessary. For example, “Have you had a similar experience?”
Do not give advice. If questions arise that you cannot answer, arrange for the person asking to talk privately with the Spiritual Guide or the pastor or his designee.
Use meals and breaks to minister privately to anyone at your table who seems to need attention. Respect the need for space but encourage engagement.
Lead your table to private chapel time after the Agape letter presentations. Encourage them to express gratitude for the support. Be mindful of the allotted time, so that other teams are not waiting. Conclude by giving thanks, asking for blessings and saying the Our Father.
Answer questions about JOURNEY with Christ following the discipleship witness and discussion of The JOURNEY Begins.
Following the retreat weekend, contact the people at your table regarding The JOURNEY Begins.

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Sacristan – assists the Continuation Committee in preparing a prayer space for worship and the Sacraments. The Sacristan also ensures that prayer support is provided for each witness and that the entire JOURNEY community at the parish is welcomed to the chapel. The Sacristan also coordinates Bible Enthronement and any other arrangements needed for sacraments during JOURNEY with Christ. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
With the Liturgist, arrange Bible enthronement and closing prayer services for JOURNEY with Christ meetings.
Have everything needed for Bible enthronement in Witness Room.
Sacristan and Liturgist/Music Coordinator plan Reconciliation service with Spiritual Guide and Journey Leader for the team during JOURNEY with Christ if advised by the Continuation Committee.
With Agape Coordinator, coordinate prayer support for team witnesses in the chapel during the retreat weekend. Ensure that people know when the chapel will be open for prayer.
With the Liturgist, arrange for servers, gift bearers and Eucharistic ministers as needed.
Plans and coordinates team practice of the foot washing service before the weekend retreat.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

More information about sacramental preparation can be found in the Ministry Preparation section.

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Liturgist/Music Coordinator – plans the liturgies (Mass, Reconciliation) as well as liturgical music, witness music and transition music (what is played or sung as retreatants move from one space to another.) The Liturgist/music coordinator also provides music and plans liturgies during JOURNEY with Christ. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Consult with Continuation Committee in planning the music for the weekend. Assure that music choice is consistent with parish norms and Catholic faith. Be aware of copyright issues.
Assist witnesses in selecting music to accompany their witness talks. Arrange for playing the music in the Witness Room.
With the Sacristan, prepare Bible enthronement and closing prayer services for JOURNEY with Christ meetings.
Liturgist/music coordinator and Sacristan plan reconciliation service with Spiritual Guide and Journey Leader for the team during JOURNEY with Christ if advised by the Continuation Committee.
Consult with celebrant regarding liturgy and songs for Saturday and Sunday Masses, be aware of ordinary time, advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter season. Make copies of hymns if hymnals are not available. Follow copyright restrictions.
Make available all needed materials for liturgical celebrations.
Ensure that Personal Commitment sheets are available for Saturday night.
Lead or arrange for someone to lead singing.
With the Sacristan, arrange for servers, gift bearers and Eucharistic ministers as needed.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

More information about sacramental preparation can be found in the Ministry Preparation section.

Weekend Coordinator– ensures that the retreat stays on time and is the only person during the retreat weekend with access to a clock. The Weekend Coordinator oversees all the materials and supplies needed for the retreat weekend and JOURNEY with Christ and works with the Physical Arrangements Facilitator to ensure that the space is comfortable and welcoming. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Assume responsibility for physical arrangements and materials if coordinators for those areas are not discerned. Work with those coordinators if they are discerned.
Consult the Continuation Committee regarding procuring materials. Ensure that the finances of the weekend are handled appropriately and within the designated budget.
Contact the Continuation Committee for a list of supplies. (Review the Weekend in a Box section for more details.)
Assure that first aid supplies are on hand. Know emergency procedures (fire, evacuation, tornado). Identify medical personnel to be notified for emergencies.
Meet with Journey Leader and other support ministry coordinators outside of JOURNEY with Christ meetings to assure all details are in place and coordinated.
Help welcome retreatants to the retreat weekend.
Check rest rooms periodically for supplies.
Keep Witness Room clean of trash. Collect from tables as needed.
Pay attention to heat/cold in rooms and adjust as needed.
Facilitate and direct the movements of the group from one place to another (Witness Room to chapel, to meals, etc.) Check for stragglers. Ensure that weekend retreat schedule is on time.
Call witnesses from the Witness Room 15 minutes prior to the witness talk, return them to the Witness Room for their talks and escort them back to the chapel following their talks.
Remove all edible items from tables an hour before liturgies.
Turn out lights and check windows/doors Saturday night.
Bring an alarm – you are responsible for waking the team Sunday morning.
Prepare an inventory of supplies available at the end of the retreat weekend and give to Continuation Committee.
With the Journey Leader, prepare a financial accounting of any expenses for the weekend.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

Handouts and References

Weekend Coordinator Checklist

Setup details

Agape Coordinator – solicits and gathers Agape support letters for those attending the retreat weekend. Agape is often defined as unconditional love, and these letters demonstrate to retreatants how much they are loved. The Agape Coordinator coordinates general letters from other parishes and church leaders; generic support letters from school children and seniors; and personal letters of support from family and friends of the retreatants. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Contact families of retreatants to solicit letters of support.
Contact the parish school (if there is one) to ask young students to make posters and write general letters of support.
Contact shut ins and past JOURNEY participants to write letters of support.
Contact neighboring parishes who host JOURNEY retreat weekends for general letters of support, as well as diocesan staff as appropriate.
Contact parish organizations to write letters of support.
Arrange for Agape letter drop off spot at the parish, in collaboration with the Continuation Committee. Pick up letters as needed.
Assist in setting up support room. Provide extra stationery supplies.
Sort letters for each retreatant. (Put in envelopes or small handle bags.) Ensure that each retreatant has at least three letters.
Help welcome retreatants.
Coordinate distribution of Agape letters on Sunday.
Provide prayer support in the chapel when possible
Write thank you notes to any groups who provide Agape letters.
If Agape letters come in after the retreat weekend, make every effort to deliver them to the retreatant.
Consult the Continuation Committee for guidance on what to do with Agape letters addressed to a retreatant who did not make the weekend.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

Handouts and References

Agape Support Coordinator Checklist

Sample script of call to contact person

Sample follow up email soliciting support

Materials Coordinator – develops the artwork for materials needed for the retreat weekend, including nametags, folders, handouts, etc. The Materials Coordinator works with the Weekend Coordinator on the production of all materials. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Prepare name tags for all. Color code team versus retreatants so that it is simple to identify who is who. Make the first names large enough to read across the room. Put table number in the corner.
Prepare materials for retreatant and team folders.
Assist in welcoming retreatants.
Coordinate with Sacristan/Liturgist to distribute candles and Personal Commitment sheets during Reconciliation Saturday night.
Provide prayer support in the chapel when possible
Assist in sorting Agape letters when possible.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

Handouts and References

Materials checklist

Invitations Coordinator – acts as the liaison with the Continuation Committee. A permanent part of the Continuation Committee oversees the Invitations process. The entire team and the pastor share the responsibility to ask people to come and see. The invitation’s coordinator serves as the primary contact with the retreatant once that person registers for the retreat. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Follows up with retreatant once the person registers for the retreat and serves as the retreatant’s primary contact before the retreat weekend.
Sends letter to retreatants about 2-3 weeks before the retreat giving additional detail about what to bring to the weekend.
Provide the team with the materials they need for reaching out to retreatants.
Provide update reports as needed.
Act as the liaison between the team and the Continuation Committee invitations group. Report on those signed up at meetings, provide lists of attendees to Agape Coordinator for letters, Journey Leader for team assignments, Materials Coordinator for weekend materials, and entire team for Agape letters. Assist Materials Coordinator with name tags
Welcome retreatants on Saturday morning.
Call no shows.
Provide prayer support in the chapel when possible
Assist in sorting Agape letters when possible.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

Kitchen Coordinator – acts as the liaison between the team and the Continuation Committee kitchen group. That group plans the menus, solicits donations for the meals and snacks during the weekend, and organizes additional volunteers to serve meals and clean up. Typically, the meals are not cooked on site but donated by various volunteers. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Coordinate snack donations for JOURNEY with Christ meetings, if desired by the team.
Serve as the liaison between the team and any food-related issues.
Decorate the dining area as appropriate. Keep it simple.
Work with the materials coordinator to make place cards for each retreatant for the dining room. Change the place cards for each meal so the retreatants get to know other people besides those who sit at their tables in the witness rooms.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

Physical Arrangements Coordinator – serves as the liaison to the Continuation Committee group that sets up and takes down of all the spaces needed for the retreat weekend (chapel, Witness Room). The Physical Arrangements Coordinator works with the Continuation Committee to prepare the rooms and clean up after the weekend is over. Specific responsibilities:

Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Pray together with your prayer partner.
Assist with any set up needs for Evening with the Holy Spirit, JOURNEY with Christ meetings, Living a New Life in Christ and The JOURNEY Begins.
Ensure that appropriate team members know how to operate AV equipment.
Secure any keys needed for using the space during the retreat weekend.
Each table should have a Bible for each person, music missal for each person, candy and gum, tissues, large candle, crayons/magic markers, pens,and a table number card.
Place other materials on back table where Spiritual Guide and Journey Leader sit.
Assist in welcoming retreatants.
Provide prayer support in the chapel when possible
Assist in sorting Agape letters when possible.
Assist Weekend Coordinator in maintaining restrooms, cleaning trash from Witness Room, etc.
Return keys.
Mingle with retreatants whenever possible.

Witness Themes – Witness talks focus on specific themes that, woven together throughout the course of a retreat, demonstrate the power and glory of God working in our day-to-day lives. Because the themes are interrelated and are part of a bigger story, it is important to focus on the theme of the witness, not any one person’s personal story of salvation. Our stories lead to the mystery of God’s role in our lives. We tell our stories with a sense of wonder as we recognize God’s plan and that we are part of something bigger than just ourselves. The story is not about me, but about what Christ has done for me and how I have responded.

The weekend retreat features 10 witness talks. Four are pre-assigned: the pastor or designee (Reconciliation), the Spiritual Guide (Finding Grace), the Journey Leader (Discipleship) and a teen witness from the parish (Serving the Community). The other six witnesses (Renewing Your Faith Life, Growing in Holiness, Supporting Each Other, Living the Eucharist, Listening to the Word and Unconditional Love) are discerned during Evening with the Holy Spirit.

The overall theme of the retreat weekend is the central role of Jesus Christ in our personal lives and the life of the parish. All witness talks are variations on the theme of God’s love for us, and how the Trinity works in our lives.

The first witness talk focuses on personal change, establishing that the purpose of the retreat weekend is to change hearts and minds. The focus on Renewing Your Faith Life provides the opportunity for retreatants to reflect on the importance of change or conversion, in big or small ways. That talk is followed by the Spiritual Guide reflecting on Finding Grace, living our new life in Christ every day.

This renewal and conversion should be more than a weekend experience. The witness talk on Growing in Holiness provides examples of how we must continue to renew our lives in Jesus, an ongoing journey to grow in our relationship with Jesus.

The witness talk on Living the Eucharist precedes Mass and focuses on the healing power of the Eucharist. The Mass celebrates our need to worship as a community. Our new life in Christ cannot be lived in isolation. The witness talk on Supporting Each Other illustrates God’s love through our family and community.

These five witness talks should encourage retreatants to look at their own lives and their own need for change and conversion, setting the stage for Reconciliation. This witness talk ideally is followed immediately by the opportunity to experience the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Serving the Community looks beyond the immediate faith community and allows someone who has been served to share experiences of serving and loving as Jesus did.

God’s word is food for the journey, and it is important to feed and form ourselves on a continual basis. The witness on Listening to the Word provides experiences of how the word of God nurtures and sustains spiritual growth. The community also provides tangible evidence of Unconditional Love. This witness reflects on how God loves us and responds to our individual needs. Retreatants then experience this tangible love through Agape letters of encouragement written by family, friends and the community.

The final witness talk is on Discipleship. Assured of God’s love for us and strengthened by the community, we are called to follow him. The witness talk reflects on personal experiences of saying “yes” to God.

The specific witness and JOURNEY with Christ themes are in the below handout.

Handouts and References

All Segments - Witness and JOURNEY with Christ Themes

The following ministries are discerned prior to the Evening with the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Director – the pastor and the Holy Spirit direct the spirituality of the retreat weekend and the formation process. The presence of the pastor is very important to most parishioners, and the pastor’s visible support of JOURNEY will encourage parishioners and give credibility to the process. While the pastor’s presence and involvement is critical, JOURNEY acknowledges the time constraints faced by most pastors and is designed for shared leadership. The pastor can choose how involved he wants to be and may designate an associate pastor or deacon to serve with a specific team. The Continuation Committee assists the pastor in the practical aspects of the program, such as room reservations, selecting Spiritual Guides, making changes in the retreat format or formation process to accommodate local parish sensibilities. The Spiritual Guide takes on the day-to-day responsibility of ministering to the spiritual needs of the team in JOURNEY with Christ. Three areas cannot be delegated: support from the pastor to ensure that space at the church is prioritized for JOURNEY weekends; assistance with the Reconciliation Service on the weekend; and support for invitations.

If the pastor designates an associate pastor or deacon to work with a team, it is critical for that person to be engaged with the team, participating as much as possible in The JOURNEY Begins, Evening with the Holy Spirit, team JOURNEY with Christ meetings and, of course, the retreat weekend. Specific responsibilities for the Spiritual Director:

Assist with invitations by encouraging and inviting parishioners personally
Work with Continuation Committee as needed re: changes to JOURNEY with Christ or the weekend retreat
Prepare and deliver reconciliation witness during JOURNEY with Christ and during weekend retreat
Work with Sacristan/Liturgist to arrange all sacraments, including reconciliation on Saturday night
Arrange for transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to and from the chapel
Celebrate Mass Saturday night (if separate Mass is included in the weekend) and Sunday afternoon

Spiritual Guide – the Spiritual Guide is the liaison between the team and the pastor/Continuation Committee. The Spiritual Guide is typically discerned by the pastor or the Continuation Committee with pastor approval before the retreat weekend for the next team and participates as he or she is able. Setting the spiritual tone for the team, the Spiritual Guide pays attention to the spiritual formation of all team members and ensures that JOURNEY with Christ meetings remain focused on spiritual formation, not planning an event. The Spiritual Guide is focused on each individual’s relationship with God, building the team and reaching out to the community through the retreat weekend. The Spiritual Guide prays, continually inviting the Holy Spirit into the group. The details of meetings are left to facilitators and the Journey Leader. The Spiritual Guide will want to come together with the Journey Leader frequently to pray for the team and for the retreatants. Specific responsibilities:

Coordinate with the Continuation Committee on team meeting dates, times and locations. Reserve spaces as necessary for team JOURNEY with Christ and the retreat weekend. Ensure that schedule takes into account holidays, school breaks, etc.
Determine how other supplies are provided for JOURNEY with Christ meetings.
Coordinate with the Continuation Committee to identify and secure facilitators for Sharing Our Journey, Evening with the Holy Spirit and Living a New Life in Christ. Meet with facilitators prior to those sessions.
Coordinate with the Continuation Committee or past Spiritual Guide to identify any past retreat participants who didn’t go through the formation process and may want to join the current team.
Attend and fully participate in all team meetings, sacraments and the retreat weekend.
Participate in The JOURNEY Begins; the immediate past Spiritual Guide, team and Continuation Committee facilitate the majority of this program.
Assist facilitators and Journey Leader in organizing specific meetings.
Serve as liaison between the team and the Continuation Committee.
Be available to the team for spiritual support. Holding an individual meeting with team members can be helpful when the Holy Spirit prompts. Be attentive to those who may need healing or special attention.
Encourage parishioners to make the retreat weekend.
Prepare Finding Grace witness talk
Assist other witnesses in preparing witness talks.
Coordinate chapel time and prayer for team at the end of Friday set up.
Make remarks during the retreat weekend according to the timeline/script.
Pray with witnesses before each witness talk.
Assist with foot washing.
In cooperation with Continuation Committee and the outgoing Spiritual Guide and Journey Leader, organize The JOURNEY Begins for the incoming team.
Assists Continuation Committee with Day with Jesus retreat six months after retreat weekend.

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