On the journey … 

The mission of Cedar Cross Retreat Center is to provide a place that is conducive for rest, reflection, and renewal. Ways to do so are limitless, especially when we walk slowly enough to notice the details of creativity all around us. This dogwood blossom points to the sunlight beside the front sidewalk of the Lodge. 

John and Julie Purcell Hilpert serve Communion during their wedding a year ago. After a worship service on the Village Green, the congregation moved to the Moss Garden for the vows. 
 

Giving birth to a moss garden

At a recent Cedar Cross Mission Group gathering, Jimmy asked each of us to share an experience we had at Cedar Cross that generated awe or joy. This was mine: I’m not sure what prompted me to digress into the treeline at the edge of the “green” east of the Lodge, but I did and, kind of like the story of The Secret Garden, I came across a pile of rocks and boulders which had been cast aside in order to cultivate the nearby field in what had been a farm. All of them now had nice patinas of lichens and moss speaking of antiquity.

I was intrigued by the sight, and as I more closely examined the setting, I soon discovered a natural stone basin — something of a rarity. Oh, and there was a pedestal stone base for a Japanese mountain lantern! And not only that, I soon identified other components — an apron, firebox, and capstone to go with it. And then came this perfect stone bench seat. … Now I was really getting excited about the possibilities of creating a Japanese-style moss garden in and around them. (I’m a retired landscape gardener who specialized in Japanese and natural garden designs.)

It wasn’t long before I could also imagine a pathway around the perimeter of the mound as well as one bisecting it. And, oh yes, there was a “frog rock” already positioned at the entrance.

Well, that surprising serendipity has since resulted in hours spent weeding, raking, pruning, and transplanting various kinds of moss found elsewhere on the property to create what today is yet another Cedar Cross meditation spot for our retreatants to enjoy. And, incidentally, it has served as part of the wedding venue for John and Julie’s recent wedding celebration. It’s truly amazing what can be found and inspired by Cedar Cross! 

Mac is a founding member of the Mission Group. He is lovingly  referred to as the “chief mosser” at Cedar Cross for his knack at transplanting more than 20 varities of moss from the property for the garden. A key ingredient of the transplant process is buttermilk. That is why retreatants have often seen a jug of buttermilk in the refrigerator at the Lodge with a message: “Please Do Not Drink.”

A natural stone basin is one of the stones Mac found that ignited the idea of creating a Japanese-style moss garden.  

Community Day moving to weekends

To provide a way for more people to participate, Community Days are being moved to a Friday-evening-to-Saturday-afternoon schedule. Our next gathering for Community Day will be May 24-25.

The purpose of Community Day is to steward the land and facilities as well as enhance our personal and relational journeys.

We begin with a meal on Friday at 5 p.m. This is followed by a time of spiritual formation and community building, followed by night prayers. 

The next day we begin with breakfast, followed by morning prayers, and then we work on tasks that have been identified. We typically have various projects and invite participants to serve in a way that is life-giving for them. We conclude at 3 p.m. There is also time to walk the trails, rest in the moss garden, take the steps of the Way of Jesus, use the studio, visit the library, or simply rest. 

For more information or to register, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.  
 

Creative touches by people who support Cedar Cross are found throughout the facilities and grounds. One of the newer expressions is a pair of table runners handwoven on a loom by Jane Williams, a member of the Mission Group. Pictured with her are Butch Grove setting the table for a Community Day dinner and Julie Hilpert, in the background. 

Gathering for A Day Apart on May 27

The next gathering for A Day Apart will be on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

We’ll begin with a brief time of worship, followed by the introduction of quotes from Gerald May’s book, The Dark Night of the Soul. Then folks will have an extended time of quiet reflection until we regather just before lunch for a time to share about respective experiences, if so led. After lunch, we’ll introduce more quotes before a second time of silence. At 2:30, we’ll re-gather to share experiences and close with Communion. 

During the time for silent reflection, participants are invited to do as they are led. Some folks find a quiet place, either inside or outside, to reflect on one of the quotes or do something else. Some walk the trails, or the labyrinth, or the meditation trail called the Way of Jesus. 

The suggested donation is $20. Please bring a bagged lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided. 

To register, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. Participation is limited to 16 people.

Remembering and celebrating

A group of men gather twice a year at Cedar Cross for a weekend retreat. This gathering began about 20 years ago after many of them met at a talk by Richard Rohr in Durham. Rob Morrell served as the group’s long-time leader until his death in 2020.  As a way to remember and celebrate Rob’s life, the men’s group built a bench that is beside the labyrinth. The hope is that people will use the bench to become still in preparation for walking the labyrinth and then use the bench afterward to reflect or journal about the experience. The bench was dedicated on March 2. Rob’s wife, Maureen, took part in the dedication. Some of the group members shown after the bench was built are from left, sitting, Hans Linnartz and George Edens; standing, John Hilpert, Steve Braun, and Jim McMahan. 
 

Volunteers

Much of the work at Cedar Cross is completed by volunteers who recognize the need to provide a place for rest, reflection, and renewal in this often-hectic world. This winter and spring, the back and front decks at Heron’s Nest were replaced with rot-resistant boards made from recycled plastic. Pictured working on the deck in April are Dustin Williams, foreground; Ric Laudenslager, Butch Grove, and John Hilpert. 

A view from the trail

A message from Cedar Cross

 Dear Friends and Supporters,
  
As the seasons turn, we are ever reminded by the forested sanctuary here that our mission is to provide a place for rest, reflection, and renewal along the journey, with all the chapters that come. As always, we appreciate your financial and prayer support.

Our retreatant numbers are up (524) compared to last year at this point (336). More importantly, retreatants’ qualitative experiences seem to be deepening, especially for individual retreatants. A wide range of groups are also returning to Cedar Cross following the decline of those retreats during the pandemic.

The Cedar Cross Mission Group remains organizationally light, relying on bottom-up energy rather than top-down structure. New initiatives among us this year include John Hilpert responding to opportunities to listen and offer support for small emerging communities of faith; the revamping of the studio space and establishment of a library in the studio loft; improving our systems for scheduling cleanings between retreats; and scheduling our own visioning retreat for the mission group to imagine, covenant, and plan for the future.

We welcomed three new members this year – Julie Purcell Hilpert, Jane Williams, and Dustin Williams. Their arrival is a much-needed answer to prayer as they bring new ideas, questions, perspectives, and energy. We are continuing our practice of monthly Community Days when we share 24 hours together to accomplish various indoor/outdoor tasks as well as share meals and prayers. You are always welcome to join us for these times to connect tangibly with Cedar Cross.

Financially, including donations from retreatants and your ongoing contributions, we continue to break even. This is very rare since most retreat centers get large denomination grants and are still closing or struggling to stay afloat. We have received a few larger donations, such as those following the death of  co-founder Margaret Hilpert (and her presence is still felt by us all). These were dedicated to a capital fund that will be used to cover major expenses such as replacing aging roofs and HVAC units. Because the capital fund allows the ministry to cover major infrastructure needs, your donations can be focused on providing and enhancing our operational needs in providing a simple retreat space set in the beauty of nature. We will also be reviewing our suggested donation rate for retreatants, and there likely will be a modest adjustment to cover increased costs.

We are clear that we are meeting an essential purpose of revitalizing faithful journeys. As a Mission Group, we continue to allow our work to reveal God in our midst, and what we are to do next. We are deeply honored that you are part of this journey, ask for your continued support, and hope you will allow this space to enrich your journeys and ministries.
 
Gratefully,

John, Julie, Butch, Vickie, Jimmy, Ginger, Mac, Dustin, Jane

(Those of you on our mailing list will also receive a copy of this letter in the mail. If anyone wants to be on our mailing list, please let us know. Send an email to cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.)

On the journey … 

A patient and determined Eastern Box Turtle makes a way toward the Lodge this summer before heading to the surrounding woodlands. Box turtles are a familiar site at Cedar Cross, finding the woodlands, creeks and ponds much to their liking. Box turtles like this one can live to be 100 years old. 

Cedar Cross to host
survivors of atom bomb

From November 7-11, an eleven-member delegation of Japanese survivors of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 will be hosted by Cedar Cross in what is being called a Hope and Healing Tour. 

The delegation will be visiting the Triangle area (prior to going to Chicago and Portland, OR), speaking at several regional schools and churches.  Their visit is in connection with efforts to support this fall’s UN Conference for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.  (The treaty is presently signed by 92 countries, not including the U.S.).

The delegation is multi-generational and lead by Dr. Masao Tomonaga, head of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hospital and a personal friend of Cedar Cross Mission Group member, Mac Hulslander, stemming from Mac’s years of missionary service there (1960-64).

Cedar Cross will provide some meals, room and travel assistance as a way of showing support for this significant effort on behalf of world peace.  Readers are invited to help defray our costs. Checks can be made out to “Covenant Community Church” earmarked for the “H and H Tour” c/o Mac Hulslander, 2830 Barmettler St., Raleigh, NC 27607.

A public presentation by the delegation will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 8th at Highland United Methodist Church. The church’s building is located on Ridge Road at Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh. Please join us and invite others for this one time event.
 

Gathering for A Day Apart on Sept. 25

The next gathering for A Day Apart will be on Monday, Sept. 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

We’ll begin with a brief time of worship, followed by the introduction of quotes from Parker Palmer’s book The Hidden Wholeness. Then folks will have an extended time of quiet reflection until we regather just before lunch for a time to share about respective experiences, if so led. After lunch, we’ll introduce more quotes before a second time of silence. At 2:30, we’ll re-gather to share experiences and close with Communion. 

During the time for silent reflection, participants are welcome to do as they are led. Some folks find a quiet place — either inside or outside — to reflect on one of the quotes or do something else. Some walk the trails, or the labyrinth, or the meditation trail called the Way of Jesus. 

The suggested donation is $20. Please bring a bagged lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided. 

To register, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. Participation is limited to 16 people.

A view from the trail

Guests welcome
for monthly Community Day

You’re invited to join with the Mission Group of Cedar Cross to help nurture the land and facilities as well as enhance our personal and relational journeys. Our next gathering for Community Day will be Monday-Tuesday, September 24-25. 

Community Day begins with a meal on Monday at 5 p.m. This is followed by a time of spiritual formation/community building and then night prayers. 

The next day, we begin with breakfast, followed by morning prayers and then tasks that have been identified. We typically have various projects and invite participants to serve in a way that is life-giving for them. We conclude at 3 p.m. 

We don’t ask for a donation to participate. We do, though, seek volunteers to provide or help provide one of the three meals. 

For more information, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.  
 

A branch along the New Field trail at Cedar Cross Retreat Center provides a habitat for moss and henbit, which is a source of nectar and pollen for honeybees, and the leaves, stem, and flowers are edible, according to N.C. State University’s Extension Service. Science has identified the immune boosting effects of phytoncides or essential oils releases by various plants.
 

A Walk in the Woods
… or Forest Bathing?

 
By Mac Hulslander
 
By now most Journeys readers have at least heard the term, “forest bathing.” When I was younger we spoke of taking a walk (or hike) in the woods, but what is this “forest bathing” bit? Well, I’m learning.
 
The term was coined in 1982 by a Mr. Akiyama (whose name means autumn mountain) in Japan where forest bathing is called shinrin yoku. And, like so many Japanese kanji (characters), the kanji that make up the term convey a depth to the meaning. In this case, shin is for forest (a character of three trees); rin is depicted by two trees, side-by-side, conveying the interconnectedness of the forest; and yoku connotes the wellbeing of being surrounded by abundance.
 
The best definition of forest bathing I have come across is “the practice of intentionally connecting to Nature as a way to heal.” Forest bathing “connects to re-connect” one to the nature of our very being as creatures sharing the awe, beauty, and mystery of Creation. We are not apart from Nature but one with it and, as such, forest bathing is a remedy for psychoterratica, or the mental state of being disconnected from the natural world.
 
There are immune boosting effects from forest bathing, thanks to phytoncides or essential oils exuded by various plants. Without going further into all the current science behind forest bathing, I am simply inviting you to consider its potential benefits as you come on retreat at Cedar Cross. Please consider forest bathing as a means to further your own wellbeing – spiritually, physically, and psychologically – and as a way to disconnect from the technological world that presently seems to invade so much of our psyches and spirits.
 
To go deeper into forest bathing, its preparation and practice, I recommend The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing by Julia Plevin. Happy Bathing!

Planting for the future

Gathering for A Day Apart on June 26

The next gathering for A Day Apart will be on Monday, June 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

We’ll begin with a brief time of worship, followed by the introduction of quotes from Rose Mary Dougherty’s book, Discernment: A Path to Spiritual Awakening. Then folks have an extended time of quiet reflection until we regather just before lunch for a time to share about respective experiences, if so led. After lunch, we’ll introduce more quotes before a second time of silence. At 2:30, we’ll re-gather to share experiences and close with Communion. 

During the time for silence reflection, participants are welcome to do as they are led. Some folks find a quiet place — either inside or outside — to reflect on one of the quotes or something else. Some walk the trails, or the labyrinth, or the meditation trail called the Way of Jesus. 

The suggested donation is $20. Please bring a bagged lunch. Drinks will be provided. 

To register, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. Participation is limited to 16 people.

Guests welcome
for monthly Community Day

You’re invited to join with the Mission Group of Cedar Cross to help nurture the land and facilities as well as enhance our personal and relational journeys. Our next gathering for Community Day will be Monday-Tuesday, June 26-27. The expectation is that we’ll gather on the fourth Monday-Tuesday of each month. 

Community Day begins with a meal on Monday at 5 p.m. This is followed by a time of spiritual formation/community building and then night prayers. 

The next day, we begin with breakfast, followed by morning prayers and then tasks that have been identified. We typically have various projects and invite participants to serve in a way that is life-giving for them. We conclude at 3 p.m. 

We don’t ask for a donation to participate. We do, though, seek volunteers to provide or help provide one of the three meals. 

For more information, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.  
 

A view from the trail

A camelia bloom on the dining room table in the Lodge.
 

Holy Day greetings
from Cedar Cross

As we near the season of Christmas, we are grateful for the opportunity to provide a place that is conducive for people from various faith traditions to rest, to reflect, and, we hope, to be renewed in their respective journeys. We are also grateful for the people who support this mission, including those who come on retreat, those who make financial gifts, those who volunteer their time, and those who hold Cedar Cross in the light. Our hope is that this season of recognizing afresh that God is with us is meaningful for you all.

A Day Apart returns in January

Cedar Cross is hosting A Day Apart after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The first re-gathering will be Monday, Jan. 23, from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

We’ll begin with a brief time of worship, followed by the introduction of quotes from a writer. Then folks have silence until we regather just before lunch for a time to share about their respective experiences, if so led. After lunch, we’ll introduce more quotes before a time of silence. At 2:30, we’ll re-gather to share experiences and close with Communion. 

During the silence, participants are welcome to do as they are led. Some folks find a quiet place — either inside or outside — to reflect on one of the quotes or something else. Some walk the trails, or the labyrinth, or the meditation trail called the Way of Jesus. 

The suggested donation is $20. Please bring a bagged lunch. Drinks will be provided. 

To register, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. Participation is limited to 16 people.

We are planning to host A Day Apart on the fourth Monday of each month. 

Guests welcome for monthly Community Day

You’re invited to join with the Mission Group of Cedar Cross to help nurture the land and facilities as well as grow in our faith and relationships. Our next gathering for Community Day will be Monday-Tuesday, Jan. 23-24. The expectation is that we’ll gather on the fourth Monday-Tuesday of each month. 

Community Day begins with a meal on Monday at 5 p.m. This is followed by a time of spiritual formation/community building and then night prayers. 

The next day, we begin with breakfast, followed by morning prayers and then tasks that have been identified. We typically have various projects and want participants to serve in a way that is life-giving for them. We conclude at 3 p.m. 

We don’t ask for a donation to participate. We do, though, seek volunteers to provide or help provide one of the three meals. 

For more information, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.  
 

Retreatant releases book
Larry C. Williams, a regular retreatant at Cedar Cross, has compiled and edited a book of meditations from the writings of Samuel H. Miller. Part of the birthing of this book took place at Cedar Cross. 

Samuel Miller was a minister of the Old Cambridge Baptist Church for 25 years before becoming the dean of Harvard Divinity School. He served as dean until his death in 1968. Larry writes: “Sam Miller was not a saint in the usual sense. … He knew the right names for things and people involved in the monstrous evils of depression and war, as well as ordinary indignities of daily existence. He often spoke of his own ’embarrassments’ before the Lord, and in his prayers assumed that others shared this experience, which made some nice people quite uncomfortable!”

Larry lives in Louisburg with his wife, Zelma. Before compiling and editing this book, he served two congregations in North Carolina as pastor, directed The Pastor as Spiritual Guide program, and served as the campus minister at Meredith College in Raleigh.

Here is an excerpt, selected by Larry, of some of Samuel Miller’s writing: 
 

The growth of the soul depends on letting your soul speak for itself. Some souls hold conversation with God in music, and some in the sowing of seed, and others in the smell of sawed wood, and still others in the affectionate understanding of their friends. All souls are not alike. Utter your own prayer, in the language of your own joy. Repent of your own sin and let your lament be your own sorrow and not another’s. When you worship, thank God for whatever has given you joy, though it be so slight that no other soul would think it worthy of mention. Let your own insights sing their praise of creation, and your own handiwork adore the Invisible Creator. Quit dressing your soul in somebody else’s piety. Your soul is not a pauper. Let it live its own life. Truth is just as necessary for the life of the soul as faith and humility, and truth is not merely the final and authoritative statement of the universe’s wide design or life’s deepest meaning — no, truth is the soul being itself.

If then you have begun to build, remember that beginning is not enough. Take upon yourself the disciplines of growth: live freely and in faith; keep your eyes alert and your soul humble that you may not miss the visit of the eternal in your neighborhood of circumstance and experience. Most of all, untie your soul, give it room to breathe, let it play, do not be ashamed of it. It is the child of the eternal and destined for greater things than you dream.

Local art

The full-size bed in the Sunrise Suite of the Lodge now has a hand-made quilt that is a gift from Donna Pernell. This is one of the several quilts Donna has made for Cedar Cross. Above the headboard is a piece of art made by the late Margaret Hilpert. 

CPA, cleaners sought for Cedar Cross

We are looking for you — the community of people who know and love Cedar Cross — to help us in a couple areas.

One, we are looking for a certified public accountant to guide us in making decisions about the financial strength of the retreat center. If you know someone to recommend to us, please let the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, know at cedarcrossregistrar.com. 

Two, we are looking for help in cleaning the facilities after each person’s retreat. This is a paid position with a somewhat flexible schedule. If you are local and know someone, please contact the coordinator.

Thank you for being part of the Cedar Cross community.

A view from the trail

(We are reprinting the letter we sent in November in case anyone missed it. Once a year, we ask for financial support to help us provide a place for rest, reflection, and renewal.) 

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Retreatants,
 
Our hope for you is that you have weathered this storm of COVID change without too many losses, or that the changes and losses have not been overwhelming. We are grateful to have met our expenses due to the steady stream of individuals coming on retreat with a prayer to “restore my soul.” We are grateful to provide, with your help, this forested sanctuary for all those precious souls.
 
From a friend: “As one who has retreated here often over the years, Cedar Cross has become a ‘spiritual home.’ Perhaps you can resonate with that sense:  the trees, birds, rocks, and moss welcome you; there is a palpable, reciprocal love calling you home, home to your senses, home to your deep soul’s longing for that vast realm within, yet reflected and amplified without. We see and hear from the vast yet tender terrain of the heart.”
 
Our co-founder Margaret Hilpert’s dear, limited form is no longer with us, and we miss her. But her presence is everywhere, continuing to pervade all that we do, and all that Cedar Cross has been, is, and will be. She and John began taking steps to ensure the longevity of Cedar Cross before her death, and our intention is to remain faithful in providing this special place of rest, reflection, and renewal as long as the call continues.
 
In honor of Margaret’s creative legacy, we have dedicated time this year to cleaning, sorting, re-designing, painting, and re-envisioning the art studio, as well as creating a library/writing space in the former Garden Loft. Our hope is that the Studio and Library Loft will be a place of creativity and reflection that enriches our offerings here as we carry forward the lessons we learned from Margaret about spiritual formation through creative expression and study. We are grateful for all the gifts in memory of Margaret that we received last year.
 
We consider you a vital community of prayerful support and encouragement. We rely on you in those ways and financially as well. We ask for and appreciate your financial support.
 
Every season has its own beauty. Spirit is transforming lives here. We thank you for helping us create space for that transformation to happen.
 
Cedar Cross Mission Group
John Hilpert, Mac Hulslander, Vickie Grove,
Ginger Allen, Butch Grove, Julie Purcell, Jimmy Allen

A message from Cedar Cross

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Retreatants,
 
Our hope for you is that you have weathered this storm of COVID change without too many losses, or that the changes and losses have not been overwhelming. We are grateful to have met our expenses due to the steady stream of individuals coming on retreat with a prayer to “restore my soul.” We are grateful to provide, with your help, this forested sanctuary for all those precious souls.
 
From a friend: “As one who has retreated here often over the years, Cedar Cross has become a ‘spiritual home.’ Perhaps you can resonate with that sense:  the trees, birds, rocks, and moss welcome you; there is a palpable, reciprocal love calling you home, home to your senses, home to your deep soul’s longing for that vast realm within, yet reflected and amplified without. We see and hear from the vast yet tender terrain of the heart.”
 
Our co-founder Margaret Hilpert’s dear, limited form is no longer with us, and we miss her. But her presence is everywhere, continuing to pervade all that we do, and all that Cedar Cross has been, is, and will be. She and John began taking steps to ensure the longevity of Cedar Cross before her death, and our intention is to remain faithful in providing this special place of rest, reflection, and renewal as long as the call continues.
 
In honor of Margaret’s creative legacy, we have dedicated time this year to cleaning, sorting, re-designing, painting, and re-envisioning the art studio, as well as creating a library/writing space in the former Garden Loft. Our hope is that the Studio and Library Loft will be a place of creativity and reflection that enriches our offerings here as we carry forward the lessons we learned from Margaret about spiritual formation through creative expression and study. We are grateful for all the gifts in memory of Margaret that we received last year.
 
We consider you a vital community of prayerful support and encouragement. We rely on you in those ways and financially as well. We ask for and appreciate your financial support.
 
Every season has its own beauty. Spirit is transforming lives here. We thank you for helping us create space for that transformation to happen.
 
Cedar Cross Mission Group
John Hilpert, Mac Hulslander, Vickie Grove,
Ginger Allen, Butch Grove, Julie Purcell, Jimmy Allen

(Those of you on our mailing list will also receive a copy of this letter in the mail. If anyone wants to be on our mailing list, please let us know. Send an email to cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.)

Gifts shared

Retreatants at Cedar Cross are inspired in a multitude of ways. Sometimes, those ways can be shared with others. So we hope you enjoy the photo, the poem, the reflection of a retreatant, and the video a group on retreat produced. If you have something you’d like to offer from your experience(s) at Cedar Cross, please send it to the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. 

Insight into three days at Cedar Cross

The writer, Charles Hill, is a native of North Carolina who now lives in Hawaii. He came on retreat with a friend this spring.

One

We come to Cedar Cross for
Rest
Reflection
Renewal

Jimmy welcomes us open armed – greetings are spoken and 
the Registrar opens the invisible gates
and whisks us into a place of peace

After a blessing the reason we have travelled so far begins 

Open hearts
Open hands

A whispering wind walks through awakened leaves;
rustling below our feet
fallen leaves stir echoes of seasons past among the new spring purple and lavender and pink and white and red flowers dotting the mossy green worlds among well laid stones – unfettered feet follow a pattern another traveler designed each pilgrim path lined with the journal of a soul.

Two

Cradled in
Heron’s Nest
against star sparkling skies we awake before sunrise on the first morning 

Open hearts
Open hands

fully
Arrived

every breath  
prayer

A flowing brook,
a singing bird,
a turkey calling for a mate

our map.

Three

The third day comes sitting out on a back porch, we are packed and it’s midmorning near leaving time

Reconnected
Remembering
Renewed

Coming away on retreat to see, listen, and hear the good news again

it happens

Together

Open hearts
Open hands.

Worship.

— C Hill 2022 June 6
 

A video from a group on retreat

A group on retreat prepared a video of their weekend and gave us permission to share it with the Cedar Cross community. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLN9ZuCHr6k&t=13s
 

Life at Cedar Cross

News from Cedar Cross

We are constantly looking for ways to foster an environment that makes Cedar Cross Retreat Center more conducive for retreatants to experience rest, reflection, and renewal. 

— One of our larger projects that is underway is a renovation of the Art Studio. In addition to cleaning and painting, we are preparing packets of art materials to help retreatants experience the wonder of creating art. We are also converting the loft of the Art Studio into a library with a comfortable sitting area for retreatants.

— The Japanese Moss Garden near the Village Green is lush and green even in the heat of summer. One retreatant, who lived in Japan for 23 years, posted photos of the garden on her social media account. One of her Far East friends asked if she were back in Japan. 

— We are looking to provide goldfish guppies to good homes. We have about 50 guppies in our goldfish pond, and the size of the pond is adequate to support about 10. So let the coordinator know if you’re interested in guppies. 

—  Clean facilities at Cedar Cross is a high priority for us. We clean between stays of each retreatant. If you live nearby and would like to be one of our cleaners, please contact our coordinator. This is a paid position. 

— We, of course, love trees at Cedar Cross. Being stewards of the forest, though, means that we sometimes have to cut trees. In the photo below, John Hilpert, who was given the initial vision for Cedar Cross, cuts a section of maple that fell during a recent storm. All of the wood cut at Cedar Cross is used on site, either for firewood, land bridges, lining trails, or filling culverts. 

Community Days

Four of the Mission Group members gather around the fire pit behind the Lodge during a Community Day. Once a month, the Mission Group gathers at Cedar Cross for a time of sharing life experiences, spiritual formation, and completing tasks at the 52-acre retreat center. Others are invited to join us for Community Days, which typically begin with an evening meal and conclude mid-afternoon the next day. If you are interested in being part of a Community Day, please contact the coordinator, Jimmy Allen, at cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com or 919-729-2586. 

A view from the trail

A message from Cedar Cross

Dear Friends and Supporters of Cedar Cross,                               

As many of you are now aware, there is a huge void in our retreat mission group in the wake of Margaret Hilpert’s sudden and unexpected death on October 7th.  We grieve the loss of her energy and creative spirit and ask for your prayers for John and the family.  We do pledge ourselves to continue the mission of Cedar Cross to provide a place for rest, reflection and renewal—a mission to which Margaret was so deeply committed.  And it is for such that we once again come to you requesting your investment and support. 

(Those of you on our mailing list will also receive a copy of this letter in the mail. If anyone wants to be on our mailing list, please let us know. Send an email to cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com.)

Please know that we are committed to carrying this ministry into the future and assuring its continuance. While our group numbers are slowly recovering from the pandemic, we have been pleased to welcome a surge in individual (and couple) retreatants and with your help have been able to remain in the black financially.  At 22 years of operation, however, we are well aware that both our buildings and equipment are in need of some repairs and/or replacements and have initiated plans to address both.

As we reflect on and remember Margaret’s extraordinary gifts and graces among us, it has provided an occasion for sharing with you some of the more behind the scenes activities of other mission group members:

– Jimmy Allen, serves as our Retreat Coordinator with a depth of understanding the spiritual life and sharing a commitment to it.  His pastoral skills have also served us well.  Jimmy thoroughly understands the need for a place like Cedar Cross;

– John Hilpert, co-founder, trailblazer and overall steward of the vision.  John faithfully stewards the property even in retirement which may mean lawn mowing one day or offering spiritual direction the next;

– Vickie Grove, our trail signs maker extraordinaire and steward of our precious connections with you;

– Butch Grove, Cedar Cross’ own “Mr. Greenjeans” whose mechanical, computer and moderating skills help to keep us on task and service focused;

– Ginger Allen, our newest member, brings her business acumen and cyber knowledge which all contribute to welcomed administrative needs and improvements;

– Lillie Jones, who, besides providing backup housekeeping help, always brings a prayerful presence to each of our undertakings;

– Mac Hulslander, chief “mosser” (presently enjoying creating a meditation moss garden) while also serving as a “swing man” for helping with whatever’s needed.

And, YOU, our great “cloud of witnesses”, whose support we feel undergirds us in all of the above and without which this ministry could not exist or move forward.  THANK YOU!

We are, together in ministry,
the Cedar Cross Mission Group

Colorado Springs, Colorado – Margaret Rand Hilpert passed away peacefully on October 7 2021, surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her parents William Roscoe Rand and Elizabeth Purnell Rand, her sisters Betty Rand Coward Stillwell and Billie Frances Rand, and her first husband Claude Phillips.

Margaret was beloved for many reasons — foremost, she was extremely devoted to her large family, whom she delighted in reuniting with every year at Ocean Isle. Appropriately, when she passed away, she was on a trip for a family celebration. Margaret grew up in Garner, where her parents were pillars of their community. She was a star basketball player at Garner High School, and is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. She was baptized in the Garner United Methodist Church and was a woman of faith throughout her life, from following Christ’s teachings to care for the poor and those in prison to leading the singing at church.

After graduating from Meredith College, Margaret taught English and art at Garner High for many years, sharing her passion for both subjects with her students. She was loved by countless students and respected for playing a key role to integrate the school. This experience led to later work as a peacemaker with Witness for Peace and CITCA. She and her husband John led countless retreats, and were founders to establish the experiential Covenant Community Church in Raleigh. She, John, and many others worked over 40 years to create Cedar Cross Retreat Center, and were the first coordinators. She led in the design of several buildings, did major interior carpentry work, assisted in trail blazing, and created many gardens.

Art was a central part of Margaret’s life. She was a passionate and extremely talented artist, specializing in painting, collage, and felt-making. As chair of the Franklin County Arts Council, she guided a transition to a far more inclusive and broader mission. Her joy was in encouraging others’ creative expressions, and linking those to their spiritual journey.

Margaret was vibrant and whimsical, playful and fun with an incredibly adventurous spirit. She had great curiosity about people and the world and loved to travel with her sisters and with John. Margaret surprised no one when tackling a mountain water slide, riding with a grandchild on a roller coaster, or taking a spin on a merry-go-round at age 80. She was never without a deck of cards in her pocketbook for spontaneous game-playing. Everyone wanted Margaret along for whatever was happening.

She is survived by her husband and best friend of 40 years, John Hilpert, and by her beloved family – sister Mary Marshall Culp (Bob), daughters Suzanne Mitchell (Brian), Libby Phillips, Meg Dare (Mike), son Doug Phillips, stepson Mark Hilpert (Faye), 13 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. Memorial arrangements will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Covenant Community Church, Cedar Cross Retreat Center, Franklin County Arts Council, and Community Partners of Hope – Henderson.

This is a sample of Margaret’s work in the Art Studio at Cedar Cross. She used art in providing spiritual direction as well as for bringing more beauty into the world. 

The following is a poem written by Mac Hulslander in observance of Margaret Hilpert’s 70^th birthday. It is dated 10/17/2010.
 

• — Brother Mac

A retrospect of autumn at Cedar Cross

The mission of Cedar Cross is to provide a place for rest, reflection, and renewal. To use Rohr’s words, we could describe our mission as a way to provide a place where retreatants can be with ourselves and God. 

When we rest, we are preparing ourselves to listen. 

When we reflect, we are opening ourselves to whom we really are.  

When we are renewed, we are given an opportunity to live with hope and gratitude. 

Of course, Cedar Cross doesn’t do any of this. We simply seek to provide a place that is conducive for the three R’s to occur. We do that in many ways, including quiet places to sit along the four miles of trails through woods and across fields. 

During the pandemic, we are still welcoming retreatants for rest, reflection, and renewal. Individuals, couples, families, and small groups up to four people (with one person or couple staying in Heron’s Nest and each of the three suites in the Lodge) are invited.

If you want to schedule a retreat or want more information, just click on the button below, give us a call at 919-729-2586, or send an email to cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. 

We look forward to welcoming you!
 

A view from the trail

If you know someone who would benefit from a retreat at Cedar Cross, consider giving them a gift card. The suggested donation for an individual on retreat is $75 per night, or $50 each for two or more. Just send an email to cedarcrossregistrar@gmail.com. We’ll send an invoice to give electronically or you can send a check to Cedar Cross Retreat Center, 150 Cedar Cross Way, Louisburg, NC 27549. Depending on what you want, we’ll send a gift card via mail or send you a gift letter electronically that you can print out. 

A walk toward the North Pond

To give a sense of life at Cedar Cross in late autumn, you’re invited to join in a walk along a section of the Loop Trail from the Way of Jesus to the North Pond. Here is the link:
https://www.cedarcrossretreat.info/2020/12/19/autumn-walk/
 

Getting to know the Mission Group of Cedar Cross 

Note: We consider everyone who participates in a retreat here, prays for this ministry, volunteers to help, and/or offers financial support to be a part of Cedar Cross Retreat Center. In addition to the hundreds who are part of the Cedar Cross community, we have a Mission Group that oversees the ministry. This section is intended to give us all a little insight about these folks. The names of Mission Group members is listed at the base of each edition.

In this edition of Journeys, John Hilpert responds to a prompt to tell us a little about yourself. 

For 45 years, a good day at Cedar Cross was when Margaret and I would work out in the woods together.  A great day was when we built a new trail or created a sacred space along the way.

The Ridge Trail appeared by going off the driveway just to push down a dead tree, and then wondering what was just ahead.  The Oak and Holly Trail taught me a key lesson.  I was trying to connect what was to become the Village Green to Creekside, and was forcing my way through thick prickly holly trees.  Exhausted, I sat down.  Finally looking up and to my right, I saw a hint of an opening, and a pleasant trail emerged.  Not only did I learn about building a trail, this was a key insight for professional work and spiritual development. 

Our four miles of trails developed in response to a general need, but enhanced by a willingness to let the land speak.  The Mission Group wisely set a limit on building new trails since they all have to be maintained.  I’ve obeyed – sort of.  A trail blazer has to do what a guy has to do.  So there are other trails I’ve had fun creating, but these were not put on the map and are last to be maintained.

While I was tackling three careers, my first 25 years here focused on transforming a badly abused and neglected tract into a healthy forest.  For the last 20 years, a lot of a fourth career was devoted to coordinating with Margaret a retreat ministry.  Most of this was enjoyable though parts felt like work.  Now that Jimmy has taken over operational responsibility and I only help out now and then, I am returning to my first love of being a forest steward.  I do want the record to note that the new trail being cut out along the north side of the creek flowing out of North Pond was strictly Jimmy’s idea.  The fact that we had a ball and played off each other’s leadings is totally incidental.