Sixth annual men’s retreat was time of intense praise, worship, rededication to Christ
By the Rev. Wade Everett
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases Strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”— Isaiah 40:29-31
On Jan. 15-17, the sixth annual On Wings of Eagles men’s spiritual retreat was held at Asbury Hills Retreat Center in the mountains above Greenville.
Asbury Hills is in South Carolina only seven miles from the North Carolina border and sits on 2,000 acres of mountain wilderness that can never be developed. It belongs to you, the people of the South Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. It is in use year-round for retreats, summer camps, gatherings and other spiritual formation events. And it has become my spiritual place of regathering, regenerating and waiting upon the Lord to renew my strength.
On Wings of Eagles began as an idea seven years ago and has grown to include all ages of men, teens and children. This year we had at least two families with three generations of men: grandfather, son and grandsons. We have discovered that the children and young men do not want children’s activities. They want to be right up in the entire activities of the retreat along with the men.
On Wings of Eagles is a time of intense praise and worship led by Eagle’s Wings Band. Band members are the Rev. Ann Everett, the Rev. Wade Everett, the Rev. Suzanne Walker, Jerry Reece and Chet Polson.
PowerPoint is used, and the entire program of worship is multimedia. There are times of worship, times of preaching the word of God (seven sermons this year) and times of gathering around the altar to pray.
This year, as is our custom, a wide white ribbon with the names of all the people at the retreat was draped around the cross, and each night after the others had gone to bed, the retreat team laid hands on that ribbon and prayed for each person by name.
On Friday night we watched the video “Matthew,” which included the 27th and the 28th chapter of Matthew. We watched Jesus being nailed to the cross for our sins, and then we saw Him rise from the dead in triumph.
As the altar call was given, the power of God fell upon us on the mountaintop. Men flooded the altar at the foot of a rugged wooden cross 7 feet high. Prayer was intense. After everyone left, Ann, the Rev. Suzanne Walker and I stayed behind to make things ready for the next day.
Then we noticed at the foot of the cross there were teardrops on the floor. Many miracles of healing inner wounds, burdens lifted and lives rededicated to serving God were experienced that night, as well as the entire weekend.
Saturday we all made the short trip to Pretty Place Chapel, which is one of the most breathtaking overlooks in South Carolina. It is a church set on the side of a 1,000-foot drop-off. You can see for 20 miles with a 180-degree field of vision. There you begin to grasp the power and the beauty of our God.
On Sunday, we celebrated the Holy Communion, renewed our baptismal vows and dipped our hands into the bowl of water to remember our baptism and what we promised to do. Each person got a rock from the bowl.
I can tell you all these things, but the only way you will know what it is really like to feel God’s presence and kneel at the foot of the cross is to go there yourself next year, on the third weekend in January.
Everett pastors Christ UMC, Bennettsville.
