Faith CoLab: Tapestry of Faith: From the High Hill: An Elder Adult Program on Mining the Stories of Your Lifetime

Getting Started

From the High Hill is a guide to personal journey in a group setting. It involves two facilitated retreat weekends, Friday evening to mid-day Sunday, with a month in between for participants to write their Odysseys. The first weekend focuses on building a supportive group and exploring personal history and spiritual journey; participants are given ways to identify what is important in their lives, organize their memories and wisdom, and write their Odysseys. During the writing interlude, participants collect and select stories and memories and do their writing, using suggestions from the participant guide. At the second weekend retreat, participants present their Odysseys. When all Odysseys have been presented, participants begin to identify next steps, such as creating a list of "What I Do Not Want to Leave Undone." The resource includes information for congregations that wish to recognize Odyssey writers in the worship and community life of the congregation, and suggestions for adapting the materials for uses outside of a group retreat format. It concludes with Odyssey excerpts from participants in the original incarnation of this program, and an appendix with useful sample forms and letters.