“I appreciated everyone’s insight and honest comments. I thought many of the heartfelt conversations revealed a real need for open dialogue. I wonder how much of that would have occurred in a face-to-face meeting.”

—Rev. Bruce Frogge, pastor

In the process of giving care to others, care givers often overlook taking care of themselves--physically, mentally, and spiritually. This seminar is designed to add action to the theoretical discussion of our right to rest, silence, and the experience of Sabbath. Join Dr. Chris Hammon from the Oates Institute in a special seminar that combines three weeks of Connected Learning online with a week of practical application, including the option of joining in a face-to-face sharing during a 6 day bicycle tour of Southern Indiana state parks.

Throughout this seminar we will be considering theological foundations for nurturing silence and Sabbath rest found in the writings of Wayne Oates and others. This seminar will require the purchase of a book by Wayne Oates that we will be using as a primary text ($12). Then for those who are interested in the extended version of this seminar, we are literally going to put feet to the notion of care giver self care and act on our need for taking time for rest and spiritual renewal by coming together for a bicyle tour through the forests and rolling hills of Southern Indiana.

The bicycle tour portion of the seminar is not going to be required but the seminar requires some form of practical application for nurturing silence during one of the weeks. Also, registration preference is given to those planning to participate in the tour.
 
The bicycle tour portion of this seminar will bring together those participants that choose to participate as a group in the annual September Escapade Touring Ride in Rural Indiana. This is an organized 6-day (5-night) bicyle tour that goes to Indiana State Resort Parks, providing the option of either staying in the lodges for $560 for the week or camping for $320 for the week. Breakfasts and dinners are provided each day in the resort lodge dining rooms as part of the package. It is fully SAG supported and there is a baggage truck that carries all of the gear from one place to the next. This particular bicycle tour is recognized by many as one of the best in the country. It is limited to 250 riders, many of whom do this ride year after year. We will be a small group among these riders, but this also gives us the opportunity to talk with others from around the United States and Canada--the majority being in their 50s and 60s.

Adventure Cycling magazine did an article on the 2003 version, which is the other year that I did this ride, and it can be found on the web at: http://triri.org/heaven/ . The 2008 tour dates are September 14-19. The route will start near in Indianapolis and travel to Brown County State Resort Park, McCormick's Creek State Resort Park, and Turkey Run State Resort Park. It is a route that features a fun part of Indiana for bicycle touring with lots of wooded areas, lakes, and artistic communities with overnight accomodations at the Indiana State Resort Parks.

The ride will start on a Sunday morning allowing for travel on Saturday (although it can be joined in progress) and end on Friday afternoon, again allowing for travel back home on Friday evening and Saturday. The terrain is mostly rolling hills and pretty country with a couple of noteworthy hills in Brown County. For more information on the bicycle tour portion of this seminar, go to TRIRI.ORG. You also may download the 2008 Rider Information Packet. The tour registration deadlines are August 1 for staying in the lodges (but my late February registration last year put me on the waiting list hoping for a cancellation until the week before the ride started, so think of this as no later than mid-February) and September 1 for camping. Because of the popularity of this ride and the space limitations, it is better to think of March 1 as the deadline for lodge registration and August 15 for camping.
 
While this is a ride-at-your-own-pace and have fun tour, it does reinforce the practice of spending time in self care on your bicycle by requiring some advance preparation. Anticipate riding at least 60 miles on four of the six days (two days provide multi-distance loops or the option not to ride at all).

(Please note that it is possible to accompany this tour providing your transportation by means other than a bicycle, such as an automobile, to participate in the seminar. Registration for the bicycle tour is still required, however. It is also possible to catch a ride into camp if you find yourself in trouble on the road as you pedal either from excessive fatigue or mechanical failures.)

1. Recognize the sacrament of the present moment.
2. Discern when privacy, rest, and a time of Sabbath are needed.
3. Give others permission to rest.
4. Strengthen one's capacity to give one's self permission to rest regularly.
5. Affirm both the gift and necessity of rest as part of the normal life rhythm.
6. Advocate the incorporation of regular times of retreat and Sabbath as part of one's own schedule as well as others'.