ARC Ecumenical Retreat Center

1680 - 373rd Avenue NE, Stanchfield, MN 55080 763-689-3540 arcretreat@hotmail.com
(Located 8 Miles Northwest of Cambridge, MN) Click here for directions.

ARC Community Covenant

“ARC is an ecumenical retreat community, rooted in the Christian tradition, serving groups and individuals seeking time apart, rest, and spiritual renewal.” From the ARC Mission Statement

The following information is part of the ARC Community Covenant that is discussed, reflected upon and negotiated through the final stages of the membership discernment process. Thus, it is here for an applicant’s information, and not to be filled out at the time of the application.

ARC community members participate in the mission of ARC by sharing their individual gifts in a ministry which offers hospitality to all guests through welcoming and talking with guests, food preparation and serving, laundry and room restoration, worship planning and leadership, land stewardship, maintenance, gardening, office tasks, wood gathering and storage, retreat leadership (as skills and familiarity with the ARC retreat ministry develop), spiritual direction/companioning (with training and appropriate credentials), promoting social justice, library care, bookshop and gift organization, keeping financial records, computer and home publishing, and the nurturance of community life. It takes many and different skills to provide a faithful ministry of hospitality!

Community members live out the ARC mission by nurturing community life through the following practices and intentions:

	participating in regular meetings
	seeking to keep communication channels open
	involvement in and initiation of community activities and celebrations
	attending to one’s own personal development for ministry and spiritual growth through worship, reading, prayer and reflection
	respecting differences and honoring confidences shared
	promoting unity and trust
	communicating honestly and openly with each other, especially in resolving conflict
	lending support to one another
	seeking to live out the mission of ARC and discerning together the direction of on-going ministry
	commitment to the integrity of retreat ministry, including participation in community retreat and enrichment times

ARC will provide to Resident Community members:

	Room and board, laundry, local telephone and computer access to Internet
	Medical insurance
	Monthly stipend according to individual need or to be negotiated with the Director
	Two days off per week
	Community enrichment/social days (taken one day per month together)
	One day per month sick leave per year
	5 days of vacation the first year (increasing one week per year to 4 weeks)
	Holidays—Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, 4th of July, Christmas (approx. 10 days), Easter (Thursday after lunch to Monday noon)
	An initial 3 month discernment period to be reviewed with the community
	Feedback and reflection through the Annual work performance evaluation with the Director
	Massage and spiritual direction as available through our network

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