CREATIVE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES - BREATHTAKING WHALE WATCHING - SEASIDE WORSHIP
While whales live in every ocean on our planet, opportunities to see a whale don’t happen every day. If you want to see a whale, you need to know where to look and what you are looking for. You need time for waiting, watching and wondering. You need companions for the journey. You need patience and practice.
So it is with the Holy Spirit.
Join this relaxing 4-day, 3-night retreat and find sacred space to slow down, dive deep, and look for the Holy Spirit.
Explore creative prayer practices, deepen your understanding of whales, build connections with fellow seekers, enjoy sunset worship on the beach, and of course, embark on whale watching adventures!
Lindsay Harren-Lewis is a Presbyterian Church (USA) minister known to her congregation as “Pastor Whale." lindsayhl@fpccle.org
Sharon Seyfarth Garner is a United Methodist minister and Founding Director of Belly of the Whale Spiritual Direction & Retreat Ministries. sharon@bellyofthewhaleministries.net
All of our "information & inspiration" sessions will be held in the newly renovated space of the Marine Life Studies Center of Moss Landing.
Our whale watching excursions will be with the highly respected Blue Ocean Whale Watch conveniently departing from Moss Landing Harbor right down the street from our meeting space.
Tuesday, October 13 - Gather at 3:00 pm in the afternoon for words of welcome, wisdom from whales, opening worship and a delicious dinner in community together.
Wednesday, October 14 - Gather for an "information and inspiration" session in the morning and our first whale watching adventure in the afternoon. (Breakfast & Lunch provided.) Dinner and the evening are free for you to enjoy as you wish.
Thursday, October 15 - Start the day with a morning whale watching excursion. After lunch on your own, we will gather in the afternoon for another "information and inspiration" session followed by communion together on the beach at sunset. Dinner and the evening are free for you to enjoy as you wish.
Friday, October 16 - Gather in the morning for a final "information & inspiration" session, closing worship and departure at noon.
The Inn at Moss Landing is located a convenient 5 minute walk from where we will be gathering for our retreat sessions (at the Marine Life Studies Center).
This modern boutique hotel is designed to inspire, delight, and enchant. Here you will enjoy a well-appointed room, courteous service, and comfortable surroundings. Outside your door you will find a vast, pristine beach just a 10-minute walk away. An abundance of sea life and natural beauty surrounds you.
The owners of The Inn are offering us a generous 15% discount off of their already reasonable prices. The discount includes "shoulder days" so that you can come a day early or stay a day later and still get the discount.
Simply enter the discount code BELLYOFTHEWHALE26 to receive the 15% discounted rate.
The cost of lodging is NOT included in your retreat fee. We highly recommend you BOOK EARLY to secure your room at the discounted rate!
Daily continental breakfasts are included in the cost of your retreat.
Dinner on Tuesday (10/13) and a light lunch on Wednesday (10/14) are also included.
There are several wonderful local restaurants in Moss Landing for you to enjoy for any additional meals...
Lemongrass Thai food - 413 Moss Landing Rd Moss Landing, CA 95039
Moss Landing Cafe - 421 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039
The Power Plant coffee - 7990 Highway 1, Moss Landing, California 95039
Sea Harvest restaurant - 2420 Highway 1, Moss Landing, CA 95039The
Phil's Snack Shack - 7912 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039
Please make your travel arrangements so that you will arrive before 3:00 on Tuesday, October 13 and will depart after the closing session at noon on Friday, October 16.
If you are arriving by plane, keep in mind that SFO is 2-3 hour drive from Moss Landing depending on traffic.
You may choose to come a day early or stay a day later and take advantage of some of the other local attractions such as...
Daily "information & inspiration" sessions offer creative prayer practices while learning more about the amazing lives of our fluked friends, the whales.
Experiencing the thrill of whale watching with Blue Ocean Whale Watching Excursions, one of the most highly respected charters in Monterey Bay.
We will gather on the beach for meaningful sharing and worship at the end of each day.
Lite breakfast of fruit, yogurt, granola bars, pastries, juice and coffee will be available each morning as we gather.
We celebrate our first evening together by eating dinner together at one of the delicious local restaurants in Moss Landing.
We will share a lite lunch together on Thursday just prior to leaving on our first whale watching adventure that afternoon.
The Inn at Moss Landing offers a very reasonable, discounted rate. Enter the discount code BELLYOFWHALE26 to see the rates. BOOK EARLY to secure your room!
There are several delicious local restaurants where you can grab lunch on your own or with others from the retreat.
There are several delicious local restaurants where you can grab dinner on your own or with others from the retreat.
Please consider protecting your investment travel insurance coverage.
3 - 5:00 - Welcome and gathering at Marine Life Studies Center
5:00 - Welcome Dinner Provided for All (delicious, locally prepared meal, dietary options available)
8 am - Continental breakfast at Marine Life Studies Center
9:00 - 11:30 Morning gathering and closing worship
Noon departure
