Author Archives: mtolivetretreat

Theresa F. Latini Last weekend I traveled with my daughter, Eleanor, to Cathedral of the Pines in Lutsen, MN. For those of you who haven’t been there, COP (for short) is adjacent to Lake Caribou. Surrounded by Superior National Forest, COP is approximately four miles inland from the north shore of Lake Superior and twoContinue reading “An Encore of Praise”

Theresa F. Latini A few months into the pandemic, I received a lovely postcard in the mail. It read, “This is only part of the story. This is not the whole story. This is God’s world.” It is good to be reminded that this is God’s world. Because over the past two weeks, the newsContinue reading “Slow to Anger”

Theresa F. Latini Approximately twenty years ago, I was introduced to a practice called Nonviolent Communication when, unbeknownst to me, I desperately needed it. I was a full-time Ph.D. student and a part-time associate pastor. Not only was I stretched thin, but also I repeatedly encountered disheartening conflicts. Tension simmered under the surface of myContinue reading “Wise Speech for a Foolish Age”

Theresa F. Latini In last week’s blog, Pastor Bill MacLean reflected on the wisdom, poetry, and prayer of Psalm 90, focusing on this central petition: “Teach us to number our days so that we may live wisely.” In other words, as he put it, “Teach us to be aware of how short life is, toContinue reading “Our Strong Refuge”

Rev. William B. MacLean Writer Alice Walker of The Color Purple once wrote an essay called “Longing to Die of Old Age.” She speaks of going with her mother a few doors down the street to visit a dying, elderly neighbor woman. “People like my mother were visiting her constantly, bringing food, picking up laundry,Continue reading “Teach Us to Number Our Days”

Rev. William B. MacLean I ran across an article in the Atlantic Monthly that said the average working vocabulary of a 14-year-old child sixty years ago was 25,000 words and that today it’s 10,000 words. Think of that – that’s less than half. Analysts of the situation say that our technological society no longer valuesContinue reading “Artful Language”

Theresa F. Latini Recently I visited my hometown of Port Jervis, NY which is near the Catskill Mountains. After almost two years of being away from family, I felt refreshed and renewed by their presence. While there, I’ve visited some of my favorite places: the cemetery where generations of family members rest in peace; theContinue reading “Nature’s Wisdom”

Theresa F. Latini Warm summer evenings have arrived here in Minneapolis, and I’ve been enjoying outdoor meals on my deck. One recent evening an array of birds serenaded my daughter, niece, and me as we enjoyed our food. The caw of crows, tweets of cardinals, trill of red winged blackbirds, and the pattering of woodpeckersContinue reading “Echoing Wisdom’s Cheer”

Theresa F. Latini The school-year has ended in Minneapolis, and I’ve been reflecting on some of the highs and lows of journeying with my daughter through online first-grade. Thankfully, there’s been an overall trajectory of learning and growth, many moments of joy, and impressively creative projects about “giant pandas” and “how the stars and sunContinue reading “Desiring and Learning Wisdom”

Theresa F. Latini This summer our blog focuses on “Poems and Prayers of the Bible:” inspiring insights, honest struggles, soaring praise, and earthy wisdom of some of the most beautiful and masterful pieces of ancient literature. These passages help us to retreat where we are, that is, to rest, to listen to God, others, andContinue reading “Poems and Prayers of the Bible”

Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger Last week’s post focused on an understanding of two types of trauma: personal trauma and secondary trauma.  Given our experience over the past fourteen months—and much longer—we turn our attention today to healing from intergenerational trauma and collective trauma. Intergenerational trauma occurs when your parents or grandparents (or even your moreContinue reading “Lifelines for Healing Collective Trauma”

Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger Many of us all over the world are coping with traumatic stress at this point in our collective life history—either through recent overwhelming losses, or through past trauma that threatens to be reactivated, through vicarious trauma as we witness the suffering of others, or perhaps through the sheer magnitude of theContinue reading “Lifelines for Healing Personal Trauma”

Theresa F. Latini One of my seminary professors frequently asked this question: “What is a lifetime and why do I live it?” The Presbyterian church where I most recently served on staff reframed his question this way: “Who is God and what is God up to? What is a good life and how do weContinue reading “An Extra (Ordinary) Love: Reflections for Mother’s Day”

Lisa Larges (with Kara K. Root) Time is making a comeback. Thirteen months ago, time loosened its grip on us. Appointments fell off our calendars. Everyone went home. Before the pandemic, my mornings, like so many others, were ruled by the clock. Things were timed to the minute. I got up at 4:44. I don’tContinue reading “It’s Time”

Kara K. Root and Lisa Larges Thirteen months ago our non-stop world came to a screeching halt.  Instead of hurrying about our normal lives we were suddenly hunting for toilet paper and hand sanitizer and stockpiling dried beans.  The goals, activities and realities of life were just…canceled.  Time changed. The kids didn’t need to be upContinue reading “Coming Home: An Invitation from the Pandemic”

Theresa F. Latini Signs of new life abound at the retreat center these days: birds chirping, perennials bursting forth from the ground, geese flying over the marsh, and guests slowly returning for overnight retreats. Last weekend, after a long hiatus, my daughter and her cousin romped through the fields once again. Watching them run whileContinue reading “Signs of New Life”

Chris Dorsey Retreat Centers contribute to the work of peace, justice, and healing in the world in a variety of ways. Throughout its history, Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center has sought to offer rest and renewal for persons and groups actively engaged in this work. Central to our mission, as an affiliate organization ofContinue reading “Pursuing Justice: Togetherness, Solidarity, and Vicarious Action”

Chris Dorsey Retreat Centers contribute to the work of peace, justice, and healing in the world in a variety of ways. Throughout its history, Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center has sought to offer rest and renewal for persons and groups actively engaged in this work. Central to our mission, as an affiliate organization, ofContinue reading “Pursuing Justice: Christian Community and the Dignity of the Oppressed”

Theresa F. Latini This past Tuesday at Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center we embarked on our annual Day Lenten Journey—a mini-retreat launching us into a season of reflection, humility, and generosity. It was a gorgeous and grievous day. I greeted participants gathered on Zoom from the front of our chapel with expansive views ofContinue reading “The Gifts of Ashes and Dust, and a Life Well-Lived”

Carol M. Bechtel This week’s blog continues the retreat center’s focus on “cultivating wisdom.” As Carol Bechtel described in her recent workshop, wisdom asks the questions, “What kind of person do I want to be in this situation? How do I live faithfully and well?” Wisdom asks those questions in light of the most pressingContinue reading “Lip Service”

Carol M. Bechtel Jesus is described as the “wisdom of God” in 1 Corinthians 1:24. What most people don’t realize, however, is that Jesus’ teaching had strong links with the Old Testament’s wisdom tradition. This post highlights his use of the parable—in this instance, the Parable of the Good Samaritan—as a teaching tool. It’s a methodContinue reading “Tell it Slant: The Good Republican/Democrat”

Theresa F. Latini Thirteen years ago, I left my first teaching position at one seminary in order to start teaching at another. A short time after my move, the academic dean at the first school called to tell me, “I so miss hearing your laughter in the building!” Recently, I started to miss my ownContinue reading “Choosing Joy”

Theresa F. Latini Today is MLK Day, a national holiday set aside for collectively remembering, honoring, and recommitting ourselves to the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. This year I’ve been reflecting on the fullness and gravitas of remembering as an act of resistance and restoration. Remembering is at the heart of divine life. GodContinue reading “Remembering as Resistance and Restoration: In Honor of Dr. King”

Theresa F. Latini I imagined writing a “Happy New Year” post for this week, highlighting upcoming events at the retreat center such as our workshop on choosing joy. Instead I sat at my computer searching for words adequate to capture this moment in our collective history. A pastor friend texted me a political cartoon: aContinue reading “When Words Fail”