The annual church-wide retreat has been a highlight at FPCA for over 25 years. It is a time of fun, games, friends, and learning. New members who have attended say this is the best way to get connected at FPCA. Returning members love how the church uses the retreat to find a new way to knit together both the old and new. Children get the opportunity to build lifetime bonds with one another. This year’s retreat team has chosen a puzzle as our visual theme for 2023 as the retreat is an excellent opportunity to find our place of belonging in a congregation that is ever changing.
Additionally, this year we are looking at how we will fit into our community going forward. Our theme is “Asheville 2043: Where Will We Fit In?” We will be exploring the Buncombe 2043 Comprehensive Plan to find ways to support and be a part of the changes that are projected to happen in Asheville over the next 20 years. We want to ensure that our church will be ready to meet the needs of the community in the future and not get stuck in the past. We are planning on having one or two community speakers come and help us imagine a vision for how we want begin to shape ministry now so we are ready for this next era. This is in support of our strategic objective to deepen our involvement in the Asheville Community.
The retreat will run from Friday night, September 29, 2023, with a kick off dinner through worship on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Please see the linked form for costs. Sign-ups for overnight attendees ends on June 28, 2023, and for commuters on August 28, 2023. Final payment is due by September 25, 2023. You can sign up online or in the foyer on Sunday mornings. Full and partial scholarships are available–please reach out to Shannon if needed. If you would like to support a scholarship, please let us know.