Retreat Leader Training
Welcome to the training process to become a United Adoration Retreat Leader! This process is designed to give you the tools necessary and helpful for gathering and caring for artists at United Adoration events.
If you’re feeling called to join what God is doing through United Adoration, our biggest need is for Retreat Leaders. Here are the steps that will help you understand what God has called United Adoration to be and to equip you to lead well. These steps must be completed in order unless authorized by the UA Movement Leader.
1. Attend a Retreat
Experience the healing presence of the Lord, collaborative creativity, and refreshing community of a retreat before you explore leading one. This must be an in-person, multi-day retreat, of which the most common are Friday evening to Saturday afternoons.
2. Complete a Training Day
There are 3-4 training days each year, scattered locations. This is one full day of training led by senior United Adoration staff. Included will be the DNA of UA gatherings, an overview of how events are planned, practical training on artist care, and times of prayer and ministry time. The cost is $50.
3. Evaluation
The last step in your certification process is evaluation. For your safety and the safety of United Adoration attendees, we want to make sure you’re a great fit for this role. To ascertain that, there are a few things to do:
- Co-lead a retreat with an experienced Retreat Leader. Prior approval from your United Adoration Trainer needed.
- Turn in a pastoral reference letter.
- Complete or submit child safety certification and a background check. If you don’t currently have this through your church, we will provide it to you.
- Acquire final approval from your United Adoration Trainer and the UA leadership.
Once these steps have been completed and you’ve passed final approval, then you’re a Certified United Adoration Retreat Leader! Welcome to the team! You can now use your training to reach the world with the gift of Holy Spirit-inspired times of creativity and worship that our retreats bring.
We expect certified Retreat Leaders to lead at least one retreat per year, to participate in the UA Slack Workspace, and to stay active and involved in their home church. There are already many invitations to host retreats all throughout the USA and abroad, so we hope you’ll want to jump right in!
The Retreat Leader for each standard retreat receives a $200 stipend in addition to the joy of helping artists receive the healing and the sacred space they need to make the art God is calling them to create.
What makes a good United Adoration Retreat Leader?
Every Retreat Leader is unique because we bring our whole selves to the process. But here are a few attributes that we’ve found to be important
Love for the Lord and His Church
A heart to care for artists
Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and willingness to follow the Spirit’s prompting in the moment
Ability to plan and schedule events effectively
Good communication and people skills
