Fostering a Slow Pace and a Thin Place: Creative and Spiritual Practices for Writers and Makers - Program

Location icon
770 St Marys Ln, Sewanee, TN 37375, USA
Users icon
Up to 50 in group
Date
January 22 - 24, 2027

Retreat Highlights

  • - writers, artists, and makers of all experience levels
  • - quiet pocket of time for spiritual and creative practice
  • - a community to nourish creative practices
  • - Ignatian spiritual exercises
  • - contemplative writing and art prompts
  • - days anchored by morning, noon, and evening prayer
  • - participants will awaken to God's presence in their creative work
  • - discover how spiritual and creative practice can feed and sustain one another

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Details of this retreat

Fostering a Slow Pace and a Thin Place: Creative and Spiritual Practices for Writers and Makers
With David Hooker & Nicole Mazarella Friday–Sunday Retreat 
Slow down. Create. Discover the sacred at the intersection of art and faith.
This retreat invites writers, artists, and makers of all experience levels to find a quiet pocket of time for spiritual and creative practice — and a community to nourish both. Through Ignatian spiritual exercises, contemplative writing and art prompts, and days anchored by morning, noon, and evening prayer, participants will awaken to God's presence in their creative work and discover how spiritual and creative practice can feed and sustain one another.
Led by David Hooker (Wheaton College) and Nicole Mazarella (Wheaton College), the weekend blends structured community time — prayer, teaching, and shared reflection — with open, unscripted hours for participants to write, paint, collage, rest, or connect at their own pace.
Includes: Friday and Saturday night lodging, five meals (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch), and access to dedicated prayer and art-making spaces.
Ideal for: Beginning through experienced writers and visual artists seeking a contemplative creative retreat.
Rest. Renew. Reconnect.

Schedule

- dinner 6pm Friday & Saturday
- breakfast 8am Saturday & Sunday
- lunch 12pm Saturday
- program Friday night until 8pm
- program instruction all day Saturday with breaks
- program Sunday morning
- concluding before lunch on Sunday
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Location icon St. Mary's Sewanee, 770 St Marys Ln, Sewanee, TN 37375, USA

Directions

*From Nashville or Chattanooga, take I-24 to Exit 134 toward Sewanee/Monteagle.

*At the top of the ramp, turn left onto Highway 41A toward Sewanee/University of the South.

*Continue on Highway 41A for 5.5 miles.

*Turn left onto Highway 56/Sherwood Road for .6 miles.

*Turn right onto St. Mary’s Lane for 0.7 miles.

*Follow the signs marked “Guest Registration”.

Accommodation

Anna House Motel Style Room

Accommodation
2 twin beds in each room, private bathroom, sitting area, air conditioning and heat. Please, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

SMH - Temp Controlled Room - Roommate Option

Accommodation
Roommate Option - choose this option if you want to split the cost of the room with a roommate of your choice.2 twin beds in each room, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, split unit AC/HeatPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

SMH - Temperature Controlled Rooms

Accommodation
bluff view rooms, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, temperature controlled by split AC/Heat units

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style Room - Double Bed

Accommodation
Private room, 1 double bed, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style King Room

Accommodation
Private room, 1 king bed, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterLocated on first floor

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style Room

Accommodation
Private room, 2 twin beds in each room, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style Single Room

Accommodation
Private room, 1 twin bed, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style Triple Room

Accommodation
Private room, 3 twin beds in each room, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

Anna House Motel Style Room

Accommodation
ROOMMATE OPTION/SHARED COSTUse this option if you would like to split the cost with a roommate of your choice.2 twin beds in each room, private bathroom, sitting area, air conditioning and heat. Please, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style Room

Accommodation
ROOMMATE OPTION/SHARED COSTUse this option if you would like to split the cost with a roommate of your choice.2 twin beds in each room, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

St. Mary's Hall Dorm Style Triple Room

Accommodation
ROOMMATE OPTION/SHARED COSTUse this option if you would like to split the cost with roommates of your choice.3 twin beds in each room, shared bathrooms separated by gender use, cooled with box fans in summer, heated in winterPlease, indicate if a first floor room is requested. There are no elevators to second floor rooms.

Commuter

Accommodation
Includes meals, program fees and materials (lodging not included).

Venue & Amenities

Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon Bicycles For Rent
St. Mary’s Sewanee is dedicated to providing spiritual hospitality to persons of diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds in a place of natural beauty, simplicity, silence, tranquility, and warm spiritual rest through retreats, renewal, and learning.

What's Included

  • - 2 night retreat, Friday-Sunday
  • - dinner Friday at 6pm central
  • - breakfast/lunch/dinner Saturday
  • - breakfast Sunday
  • - lodging, meals, program all inclusive

What's Not Included

  • - transportation

Customer Reviews

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