Retreat-Holidays
Make retreats a treat and holidays holy
Black Forest programme:
The Tree of Life
Retreat leader:
Dr Stephanie Rybak
Director of Retreat-Holidays
The retreat will draw on our surroundings in the Black Forest to inspire our reflections.
Day 1: Tuesday 21 August 2012
Travel
Day 2: Wednesday 22 August – The me-tree
Bible texts for the day:
Psalm 1:3
They are like trees that are planted
beside the flowing waters
Psalm 50:10
I am like a growing olive tree
in the house of God.
Psalm 92 13-16
The just will flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a Lebanon cedar.
Luke 6:43-45 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit.
Options for the day:
1. For Weetabix-eaters only: an afternoon walk of six or seven miles with other guests from the hotel.
2. For the rest of us: a rest-day, with the opportunity to explore the Rosenweg (Rose Way), a path going from the hotel, and maybe have a swim and/or sauna in the afternoon.
Day 3: Thursday 23 August – Life-cycle
Bible texts for the day:
Isaiah 11:1-10 The shoot from the tree of Jesse
1 John 3:2 We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
1 Peter 2:4-6 Living stones
Afternoon excursion with other guests from the hotel to Hirsau Monastery. This is a living monastery built around the ruins of former monastery buildings, re-using the old stones. One generation feeds the next.
Day 4: Friday 24 August – The God-tree
Bible texts on holy trees as places of encounter with God include:
- Genesis 12:6-7 God’s promise to Abram at the oak of Moreh
- Genesis 13:13-18 The promise is
repeated and Abram settles by the oak of Mamre - Genesis 18:1-15 Yahweh visits
Abraham at the oak of
In Christian iconography, the cedar of Lebanon is a symbol of Christ. Bible references include Ezekiel 17:22-24
Options for today:
1. Walking down into Freudenstadt to see the market (which finishes at 12 noon), then free time in town to explore, perhaps following the town trail on foot or having a tour on the little train. 
2. For those who like walking: afternoon walk of 3-4 miles through the forest to the 230-
year-old Grandfather Pine (Grossvatertanne) with other guests from the hotel.
Day 5: Saturday 25 August – The burning bush
Exodus 3:1-21 The burning bush
Zechariah 13:9 Refining in the fire
Isaiah 6:1-9 The burning coal purifies Isaiah’s lips
Excursion to Wolfach. Opportunity for lunch out in this delightful little town, then a visit to the Dorotheenhütte glass museum and workshops, to watch the glass-blowers at work. We shall be seeing a parable in the fact that the fire does not consume the glass, but makes it malleable., and that it is given shape by breath.
Day 6: Sunday 26 August – The tree of Calvary
Bible texts calling the cross of Jesus a tree:
Acts 5:30
Acts 10:39
Acts 13:29
Luke 23:33-49
An opportunity to attend Sunday worship, with a choice between Freudenstadt's main Protestant church, the Roman Catholic church and the Methodist church.
Excursion
After church and an opportunity for lunch in Freudenstadt, those who wish will be going by train (just a 17-minute journey) to the village of Alpirsbach, to visit its11th century monastery.
Day 7: Monday 27 August –
The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
Bible texts for the day:
Genesis 2:8 – 3:24 The Garden of Eden
Matthew 6:12 Forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us
Matthew 7:1-5 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Revelation 2:7 Those who prove victorious,
I will feed from the tree of life
Revelation 22:1-5 The trees of life by the river of life in the holy city
Free day
Hotel Teuchelwald's own website