CrossRoads in the Wilderness
Reconnecting Men, God, and Earth

August 2-5, 2012

James Park, near Ward, Colorado

While the comfort and regularity of Sunday services and the moving words of a well penned sermon are a mainstay in the spiritual life of many, there are some who thirst for something different. We seek to quench this thirst by tracking Jesus' journey into the wilderness to drink of God's mysterious masterpiece.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, the Christ figure is called AslanHe is portrayed as a lion; a fierce, compassionate lion of courage, gentleness, understanding, dedication, wisdom, and willingness to put it all on the line for love and reconciliation.

The image of Aslan is one image that can remind us of the wild power of Spirit, the fierce, beautiful way of Christ that empowers us to engage life with passion, love and commitment, to open heart and soul to know, receive and give God's Grace amidst life's struggles of injustice, depression, bitterness, greed, loneliness, hopelessness, hurt, grief, alienation, abuse, apathy, anger, violence, selfishness, and meaninglessness.

A Passage into Heart and Soul

This extended weekend retreat is a powerful new place for men to experience Spirit in a real, heartfelt way, a potentially life altering way. We experience together the challenge and Grace of the spiritual road of Christ.

When men follow Jesus on that road, amazing things happen. Men reclaim the spirit they may have lost along the way, find new clarity and inspiration, work through grief, release old burdens and resentments, experience true male friendship, and encounter the God who cannot be tamed.

It's not about Dogma or Doctrine

MLA honors many ways of belief and understanding of Spirit. It is said, “There are many ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” What they have in common we believe is the Greatest Commandment: love of God with all of one’s heart, mind, soul, and strength, and the love of neighbor and self. This program offers men a unique Christian language “map” of the paths and gateways that lead into that love.

But a map is not the territory. CrossRoads also offers men the support needed to make the passage into Christ-Love to release the blocks and fears that keep us from loving God, neighbor, and self fully. This is a place beyond rules, shaming judgments, and exclusive dogma and doctrines. We offer an experience that men inside, outside, or on the margin of church, or even men who plain don’t like church, would value and love.

Staff
CrossRoads is guided by Rev. Todd Smiedendorf and staff. You can view complete biographies of our staff here. To adequately support this powerful journey, we build strong retreat “containers” by keeping participant to staff ratios low, usually two to one. We are not aware of any other similar programs (outside of MLA) that provide the same level of professional and volunteer staffing. The program also provides a comprehensive training notebook that includes pre-training preparation and post-training integration. Hearty, healthy meals are also provided.

Who should come?
Any man 18 or older who identifies as Christian (at least a little) and who is:

• Seeking renewal and connection to Spirit and Creation
• Working through a life change
• Desiring soulful brotherhood
• Find a purpose and vision for service

When is it?
We leave Boulder via caravan on Thursday, July 21 at 6pm and drive to our retreat. We return the same way to Boulder at 2pm, Sunday, July 24.

Where is it?
James Park, an 18 acre camp at 9300 feet elevation near the Continental Divide by Ward, Colorado.  The camp has bunkhouses, a kitchen, and running hot water bathrooms. Men will sleep on bunk beds in the rustic lodge (or bring their own tents, if desired). A suggested gear list will be sent at least a month prior to your arrival.

What To Bring
A suggested gear list, along with logistical details, will be sent to all registrants at least a month prior to the event. Hearty, wholesome, home-cooked meals are provided daily.

Cost
We offer a sliding scale registration ranging from $275-450. We ask that you pay what you can afford and help with scholarships. We know that this program is worth the full $450, but we want to assure that everyone who wishes to attend is not held back due to financial consideration.

A minimum non-refundable deposit of $100 is required to hold your reservation and assure you of a spot in this gathering. Meals are included. Space is limited to 20 participants.

If you wish to set up a payment plan or inquire about a scholar- ship, please arrange with the MLA office prior to the event.

Click HERE to download the Scholarship Application Form. Please, Do NOT let money be the reason you do not come!

  Printable MLA Registration Form

Further Information

f you have more questions about our way of understanding Christianity, see our FAQ.
Download the fact sheet for this program

Watch the video on:

For more information or other inquiries please contact us.