Welcome heart
Topic:

“All are welcome!” From our unique corner of the hospitality world, retreat centers like to picture themselves throwing open our doors and our arms to all. Indeed, many of us have put special effort into expanding the reach of our welcome, with sliding scales or pay-what-you-can rates, representation from a wide range of spiritual experiences, and more.  

Yet, the dominant demographic among retreat center leadership and guests remains relatively homogenous in many ways. What more can we do? 

As a white woman and the head caretaker at GilChrist Retreat Center, my participation with the Retreat Center Collaboration (RCC) has grown my awareness of how retreat centers can actively step up as mindful institutions to create new pathways of invitation and access. RCC facilitated conversations among retreat center leaders and allies highlighted the reality that the “welcome” that one person offers as unconditional may be experienced quite differently by someone who, upon arrival, encounters subtle and overt signs that the space was clearly not designed with them in mind. Being welcoming goes much deeper than throwing open the doors and saying the right words. 

Spaces that are welcoming
At GilChrist, we often consider what someone experiences when they come to our center. Every space is designed with an image of who it will serve. And we frequently review our choices to discover opportunities we missed the first time. Actions such as examining the offerings in our small library enable us to ensure that all our guests, no matter their background, see themselves respectfully represented. We have also reviewed the design of our main gathering house and made several accessibility improvements.  

Hearts that are welcoming
We review not only our physical space but also consider our social space and how we do our own racial healing work, contributing to a safer and braver environment. As guests and staff with new perspectives become part of our retreat community and provide feedback, we are committed to continually improving our physical and social spaces so that our welcome in theory can be matched by our welcome in practice. It’s a living process! 

Supports that are welcoming
Another step in expanding our welcome is today’s launch of the new GilChrist Retreat Equity Fund. We recognize that many  complex factors can limit the possibility of retreat for people who live with the daily impacts of marginalized identities.  To expand access to retreat participation and facilitation, the fund offers a diverse, flexible array of supports with a simple application process. We extend the invitation to use this fund in a spirit of transparency and creativity. We intend to refine it as we learn how it can be most valuable and supportive. Please help us spread the word about the fund and let us know if you have feedback as we take our next steps toward transformed relationships and flourishing for all.

A tent or an open sky?
The Retreat Center Collaboration gives me hope that ongoing work of reimagining retreat will go far beyond just GilChrist. There are signs that it already is, through the work of both individual centers and collaborative efforts like the Racial Healing Initiative. During an early meeting of the Retreat Center Collaboration, retreat center directors were fretting about how to welcome people into the “tent” of retreat who weren’t already represented. Milicent Johnson, founder of the Octavia Fund, offered an alternate image: why don’t we just get rid of the confines of the tent and all dance barefoot together under the stars? I’m thankful to Milicent for casting this vision of liberation and celebration and all who have offered their wisdom toward a retreat center future characterized by a genuine welcome and abundant joy. 

Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma, head caretaker for whole systems design at GilChrist Retreat Center, seeks to live a deeply rooted life as a guest of the Potawatomi people at the intersection of the Rocky, Portage, and St. Joseph Rivers.