We began hosting Virtual Retreats in 2020 when meeting consistently in person became challenging. Since then, we've realized that the online format offers participants a neat opportunity to engage with a lot of people in just a few days, without having to take time off from work or school. Virtual Retreats are a fantastic option for those with busy schedules, plus they’re open to the global community so you can meet Unificationists from around the world. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect.
Virtual Yearbook
Virtual retreats are pretty packed and a bit of preparation helps you get the most out of the weekend. During registration, you’ll answer several “getting to know you” questions, which will be shared with other participants before the retreat begins. This allows everyone to get familiar beforehand, and gives you a sense of who you’ll be meeting. That way when you start a conversation you can dive right in without needing to say “so tell me about yourself.”
Food for Thought
Typically, meeting together in person allows for a more robust exploration of various topics and themes. Since we created the online option, we’ve put together some “Food for Thought” to read through as you prepare. Expect general information to put you in the right frame of mind and get you thinking about your goals and intentions for the weekend.
Typical Virtual Retreat Schedule
Friday Orientation. You can select between two time slots, 2:00pm-4:00pm or 8:30-10:30pm EDT. We’ll have an intro session where you’ll meet the staff and other participants, get tips on how to make the most of the weekend, hear from a couple that met through 24+, and do some ice breakers. You’ll also spend some time practicing using Zoom and meeting the weekend “family” you’ll be assigned to for the next few days. These “families” are typically 8-10 same-gender groups led by a staff facilitator whose role it is to support, help with any questions/concerns, and offer general guidance.
Saturday is “Go Time”. Saturday is a full day 8:30am - 4:30pm EDT. You’ll start the morning with a second Couples’ Testimony and Q&A, followed by a Small Group Discussion in 16-20 member mixed-gender groups. These discussions will be followed by One-on-One Conversations- around 8-10 minutes each, using breakout rooms.
Small Group Discussions and One-on-One Conversations repeat 3 more times on Saturday. Each time you’ll rotate to a different group with different discussion questions and different participants. Saturday has a number of breaks, a lunch time, and midday & closing sessions with your same-gender “family” group just to relax and talk about how things are going.
Sunday Closing. Sunday is a partial day, you’ll be online from 11:00am - 3:00pm EDT. Like Saturday expect to start with a third Couples’ Testimony and Q&A. You’ll go right into a Small Group Discussion followed by a round One-on-One Conversations. After a lunch break you’ll do a final round of discussion and conversations. By the end of the retreat, you’ll have had a chance to meet every person of the opposite gender. We conclude with a Closing Session where you’ll reflect and hear about goal-setting, next steps, and tips on how to follow up with the people you’ve met throughout the weekend.
Follow-Up Conversations
After the weekend expect to hear from staff with a questionnaire asking whether you’d like to speak with any particular participants for a 15 minute follow up call on your own time. We know it's hard to squeeze in a lot during an 8 minute breakout chat, and these calls are a great way to get to talk more. Don’t worry - your responses are private and we only share them with the people you’re interested in if they also marked that they were interested in you.
What you come to get out of a Virtual Retreat is totally up to you. Whether you’re looking to network, practice your communication skills, or hoping to find “The One”, we we see our role as being to facilitate and encourage. We know talking to a lot of people might seem daunting, particularly for any introverts, but consistently participants tell us that the fast-pace, they’re glad they made it a priority. After all, great relationships aren’t found - they’re built.