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Men’s Retreat

(at Shrine Mont Conference and Retreat Center)

Remember when you were a boy? The freedom, the innocence? And the foolery that came from our innocence—but also from pushing the boundaries? Or just being bored, and bursting with youthful energy, so we kicked up a ruckus?!

Somewhere along the way we had to give all that up. As men, many of us face chronic stress, a breakneck pace, explosions overseas, climate change, and the weight of responsibility upon our shoulders. Now is the time to recall potent resources and engage in an essential task of masculine maturity: learning what Jesus meant when he called us to be like little children.

The childlikeness we decline to cultivate morphs into childishness. The sacred foolery we fail to activate descends into foolishness. And only two letters separate an unholy ruckus from a holy ruckus.

Join Matthew Lyda, founder of Recover The Wild, as we resuscitate our innocence, hone our generative ridiculousness, and explore Bayard Rustin’s “Angelic Troublemaking.”

Online registration coming soon. For now, please contact Randy McGuire to register.

Collaborate with other intrepid men in:

Opportunities for joy

Experiments with childlikeness

Invitations to play and holy foolery

Essential conversations around outdated habits

Antidotes to burnout

A balm for stress

You can expect:

Laughter

Drumming

Nature Wanders

Ritual

Practices of presence

Council

Embodiment experiments

Silence and song

Plenty of high-fives

Retreat Leader Matthew Ray Lyda

Matthew Ray Lyda drives a 2012 Honda minivan sporting a unicorn license plate. Secondly, and inhabitant of the foothills of South Carolina, the former hunting grounds of the Cherokee people, and thirdly, a fan of many Kevin Cosner films (especially Robin Hood and Dances with Wolves).

He served overseas in Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, and Kolkata. Married to his best friend and college sweetheart, he fathers three glorious children who could not care less about the credentials and post-nominals that tag on lid a caboose to his name, including:

Certified Spiritual Director (Oasis Ministries)

Author of Recover the Wild and Defeated by Great Waters

PSAP (Pastoral Sex Addiction Professional)

RAE (Rainbow Advocate Educator)

Certificate in Ecopsychology (Pacifica)

Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies (Trauma Research Foundation-Inprocess)

MATS (Masters in Theological Studies)

Membership with IITAP (Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals)

Membership with SDI (Spiritual Directors International)

Co-founder of Recover The Wild, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit

Formation in CIT( Center for Intercultural Training)

Educator for 6 + years

What are other men saying about the Holy Ruckus? Here is a report from men who attended the Holy Ruckus in New York, September 2023:

This was an awe-filled and wonder-FULL experience of holding space for my inner child and innocence. A phenomenal program. – Jim Burns

This gave me permission to find happiness and play after eight months of grieving the death of my wife. – Chris Duca

Meant so much to me, as deeply moving as any retreats I’ve attended – John Blumers

Superb, original, and creative – John Drinkard

I am relinquishing control, speaking the truth, and living free. – Doug Goulding Sr.

A time of healing through laughter and tears. – Tim Dunn

I can have fun and not be so shut down. – Gib Warren

A new beginning – Douglas Goulding Jr.

Changed my perspective – Johnny Keane

This gave me hope – Fadzi Ushewoklinze

I found an innocent version of myself – Jim Roche

Matthew was all in as our retreat leader, leading us with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love during the retreat. He addressed challenging and important topics with courage, wisdom, humor, and humility. – Marc Oher, Senior Pastor, Westside Presbyterian Church

Download the Registration Form below, fill it out, and return it to the Church Office. PLEASE NOTE: Registration forms are not required to attend. If you have not registered but would like to attend, please contact Dan Harris or Randy McGuire.

Pay online below. Click the button, then select “Men’s Retreat” from the Fund dropdown menu.