What is a "Retreat"?

A retreat can be described as "an act of withrawal into privacy or security", or "a place of shelter or seclusion" or "a period of seclusion for prayer or meditation" or "a place of reception for others in need of care".

Why a Retreat?

"...We must retreat and re-evaluate our standing with God. This is the essence of having our yearly retreat. A retreat is so important for the Christian; you forget everything around you and now bring your soul before God...."                                                                                                                                                                         Apostle Ayo Omideyi - 10th of April 2004

At Christ Apostolic Church (Bethel) UK, to us a retreat means all of the above definitions and more. When you now add the the thoughts of Apostle Ayo Omideyi to the dictionary meanings of the word "Retreat", you can now understand why a retreat is not only important to Christians, but why we at Christ Apostolic Church (Bethel) UK take retreats very seeriously.

Furthermore, you need a retreat to re-evaluate your spiritual life, to return to God, revive your spirit, to redirect your focus, to regain your lost graces, renew your relationship with God, refresh your body, mind and soul, to rekindle the fire of the Holy Spirit, to recover lost blessings, restore your health, re-awaken your church, revoke satanic domination, redevelop spiritual gifts and to recieve your eternal blessings.

Retreats have been part of the ministrys history and program for years and will continue to be a part of the ministrys program for many years to come.

Some of the places that the mnistry has been for retreats are

• 2009 - Kingsland Road, UK - Our retreat this year was held at the headquarters in London, so you can see its not every year that we will travel abroad for a retreat, sometimes we do have them in the UK. What governs the decision to either travel abroad for a retreat or stay in the UK? The answer is very simple - The HOLY SPIRIT!  You might think, well going to Israel or Assisi is better than having a retreat in the UK, but I can assure you that our retreat this year was absolutely fantastic. People recieved the Holy Spirit for the first time, others were filled anew and others simply could not believe what was happening to them. Not to belittle the retreats in Israel or Assisi or the other places as they were all wonderful in their own special ways that are sometimes hard to descibe, but the point here is once you are led by the Spirit of God, then wherever you go for a retreat it will be wonderful. Go to the "Annual Retreat in UK 2009" photo album, which is in the photo album page to view photographs of this retreat.

• 2008 - Israel - Visited places the tomd of Jesus/the 39 steps (where Jesus took His last steps towards crucifixion)/River Jordan/Jericho (Walls of Jericho)/David's tower/Mount of Olives/Dead sea/ Garden of Gethsemane/Western wall (the only wall left standing from Solomons temple)/Jaffa (where Jonah was swallowed by the whale) - Go to the "Annual Retreat in Israel 2008" photo album, which is in the photo library page to view all the photographs of his wonderful journey!!

• 2007 - Assisi (Italy) - Visited St Peter's Basilica (Cathedral), Rome - the citadel of Christianity (otherwise known as the Vatican) / Eremo delle Carceri - The monastery of St Francis of Assisi where he prayed and meditated. A haven of divine tranquility.Go to the "Annual Retreat in Assisi Italy 2007" photo album, which is in the photo library page to view all the photographs of this retreat.