Hello Couples!
We hope you’re getting excited for this year’s Couples Retreat! We have a great group this year as we head back to Fredericksburg, VA. We’ve planned this event with great anticipation due to the year we’ve all just been through. We are less than one month away from “curtain call”. We can already hear the director saying, “Lights, Camera,….”…well, you get the picture!
Final Details:
Still need to pay?
Please click here to make your final payment before the deadline of February 21. If you would like to add an extra night to your stay before the retreat starts, please contact Martha Spivey ASAP, and we will see if we can accommodate you at the rate the hotel has offered to us this year.
Retreat Check-In
Check will be from 3:00pm - 4:00pm on Thursday, February 25th
Retreat Location
- Hilton Garden Inn
- 1060 Hospitality Lane, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
It will take about two hours to get from Crossroads to the hotel. (This is the same hotel that we staying in for last year's retreat.)
Kick-Off Session
The first session will begin at 4:00pm. The hotel has not guaranteed us any rooms before 3:00pm. If you arrive too early, your room may not be ready. Upon arrival, there will be a table in the lobby with a gift bag and personalized badges for each couple attending. You can find the retreat schedule on the back of your badge. Please make sure you grab your goodies before heading to your room.
Meals & Sessions
Here’s a breakdown of the retreat meals:
- Thursday Dinner: provided by the retreat
- Friday Breakfast: provided by the retreat
- Friday Lunch: *On your own
- Friday Dinner: provided by the retreat
- Saturday Breakfast: provided by the retreat
We are catering all of the meals at the Event Center adjacent to the hotel, so you won’t have to go far for the food. All sessions will be held at the event center, as well.
All retreat meals and sessions will be held at this location:
- Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center
- 2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
This building is located just behind the hotel we are staying in. It is close enough to walk to, but there is also plenty of parking if you choose to drive instead.
The entrance you will use will be clearly marked. Once inside the building, we are being asked by the event center to wear our mask while moving about the building. Once inside our meeting space, you can remove your mask if you choose. All of the seating will be spaced out accordingly, and each couple will have their own table. This is the largest meeting space we’ve ever used, leaving us feeling very confident in the safety of those attending the retreat.
What to Wear
Every year, we encourage casual attire for the retreat. We also encourage couples to dress according to the theme on Thursday night for the kick-off session. On Thursday evening, if you would like to dress in formal / classic Hollywood attire, please feel free to do so when you arrive for the first session.
The opening night festivities will be a bit more formal, like attending an award ceremony (Golden Globes, Emmy’s, etc). If you want to get out that tux or formal evening gown, go for it! Due to the theme and pictures being taken, please be mindful of the outfit you choose to wear that evening. We will have a photo station set up so you can get portraits made when you arrive on the red carpet before the first session.
Schedule & Notes
You will receive a detailed copy of the retreat schedule within the next two weeks via email. you can also find a copy inside of your retreat booklets. Please bring a pen and a bible/electronic device with you to the sessions. We will be providing a notebook with all session notes for you when we gather for the first session.
End of Retreat
The retreat will conclude at 12:00pm on Saturday the 27th. If you can stay for a few minutes to help us clean up, that would be appreciated!
Please pray that the Lord will prepare our hearts as we get ready for this year's retreat. As we announced, Brother Mark Trotter has had a health setback and will not be with us. As we continue to pray for Mark and Sherry, we are super excited to have Pastor Ray Cazis and his wife, Melinda with us. They lead International Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY. Please pray for them as they prepare and travel to speak for this year’s retreat.
I know that you will enjoy hearing what the Lord has given to them to share with us. They will also be with us Sunday morning after the retreat in both our 8:15am and 10:30am services.
If you need anything else, please let us know. We know that the Lord is going to do something awesome at this year's retreat. No marriage is as good as it might seem in a movie, but the Lord desires to give us His script for our lives. I believe we can experience the marriage He wants for us if we are open to hearing from Him this year. Love you all!