Every year St. Luke's offers parishioners a time to reflect and mediate during the Lenten season. This year, our Lenten Retreat took place at the Convent of St. John Baptist in Mendham, New Jersey. This was our first time at St. John's Convent, and our participants had nothing but lovely comments about the experience.

Of particular note was the attentive staff, beautiful grounds, and excellent food.

Parishioners Rev. Kat & Goldalee note:

“We found our time with the community of St. John (the) Baptist to be nourishing, welcoming and inspiring. We loved receiving group spiritual direction from their Sister Superior who shared about the many ways to pray. Through the container that she offered us - and more - we got to experience a gentle blend of solitude and witnessing; this unique blend elevated our spiritual practices. We also found our accommodations to be cozy and beautiful — and the food was ridiculously good. Their new chef, RJ, is truly talented and helped us to feel like we were staying at a world class hotel! Wow! And their Guest House Manager, Brad, warmly welcomed us and fussed over us, at every turn. We both have been to various Christian and non-Christian retreats over many years, and this one stood out to both of us as exceptional. Whether you are a cradle Episcopalian or someone who is newly discovering Jesus’ teachings, this is a loving space in which to meet God’s presence.

Here are a few photos from the retreat, courtesy of K. Semel and V. Ying:

View more photos in our gallery.