Event Details
Event Phone: 317-821-7527
Click here to redirect to Emmaus Retreat 2024 Registration.
+++ 2023 Emmaus Retreat +++
Saturday, October 14th
Keynote Speaker: Fr. Paul Jannakos
Our annual fall retreat! This is an all-ages, all-parish retreat, held at the Innovation Center at Camp Belzar on the East side of Indianapolis. We are excited to be joined by Father Paul Jannakos, as this year’s speaker. There will be three speaking sessions, fellowship time, and afternoon recreation. Lunch will be provided as well as child care during the speaking sessions for children 2 thru 12. The Innovation Center is located at Camp Belzar (home of the Boy Scouts of Indiana) with acres of rolling wooded hills and natural beauty, with plenty of hiking trails and recreational activities. It will be a day filled with wonder and one you won’t forget – don’t miss it for the world! (More info and schedule below.)
++ It should be noted that registrations placed after Oct 11th are not guaranteed a provided lunch as orders have to be made in advance ++
The early bird rate is $20 and runs through September 23rd, 2023! Standard registration is still a great price at $25, and ends October 9th, 2023. Children 2 and under are free! REGISTER NOW! It is OKAY if you cannot pay the full registration fee up front when you register, as long as full payment is received by October 9th – so don’t wait, register today!!
DON’T let finances be the reason you don’t come!! If you are in need of financial assistance, please speak to your local parish. Scholarships are also available through St. John’s Camp Program’s Scholarship Fund. For more details go to our Scholarship Request page. Again, DON’T let finances be the reason you don’t come!!
Please register asap and spread the word – registration deadline is October 9th, but please register early so we can anticipate attendance!! Invite other friends and family!!
Begin your Emmaus Retreat registration by selecting a ticket below!
Theme: “Sanity and the Mind of Christ”
A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they
will attack him saying, ‘You are mad, you are not like us.” – St. Anthony the Great
Societal changes to values, culture, and increased secularism can cause anxiety and uncertainty for Orthodox Christians. Fr. Paul will be talking about Christ’s message for us about current everyday struggles of living in the World, but not being of the World.
ABOUT FR. Paul Jannakos:
Fr. Paul Jannakos was born in E. St. Louis Ill., and grew up in Golden Colorado. In September of 1976 he began his studies as a pre-theological student at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY, also taking courses at Concordia College/NY in Bronxville. He has served at St. Luke’s since December of 2015. In 1980 he graduated from Concordia College with a B.A. in Music. He graduated in 1983 with a M. Div. degree from St. Vladimir’s and was married to Michelle (Julylia) Jannakos in Cleveland Ohio, the year before, in 1982.
Fr. Paul was ordained to the holy priesthood on March 3rd, 1985 by Bishop Boris in Chicago at Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral. Since his ordination, Fr. Paul has served in parishes in Minnesota (St. Mary’s Cathedral), Montana (St. Nicholas), and Michigan (Sts Peter & Paul, St. Nicholas, and St. Mary Magdalene). After his four children graduated from high school, he began studies in professional counseling at the University of Detroit/Mercy and graduated with a Dual Master Degree (MA) in Community and Addictions Counseling (2010).
In addition to his pastoral work at St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church for the last 13 years, Fr. Paul also works as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) for Ethos Counseling Group. He served for many years as a member of the Board of Trustees at the Flint Institute of Music (FIM) and the Flint School of Performing Arts (FSPA). He loves to compose music, garden, and fly-fish.
**Updated Venue Information**
We are excited to announce that the retreat will be hosted in a new venue:
The Innovation Center at beautiful Camp Belzar! Located on the east side of Indianapolis, Camp Belzar is home to the Boys Scouts of America and the Nature School of Central Indiana. Despite being in the city, the grounds offer acres of woods, hiking trails, playgrounds, and shelters. See below for the google maps link, and a link to Camp Belzar’s website for more information. We can’t wait to see you there!
Venue: The Innovation Center, Camp Belzar, 6102 Boy Scount Road, Indianapolis, IN 46226
Google maps: link for the Innovation Center at Camp Belzar
Camp Belzar website with helpful information: Camp Belzar
++ It should be noted that registrations placed after Oct 11th are not guaranteed a provided lunch as orders have to be made in advance ++
Here’s the tentative schedule for the day:
Contact us if you have any questions! We hope to see you at Emmaus Retreat 2023!
Visit our homepage for access to pictures, videos, and teachings from previous camps and retreats on our Facebook, YouTube, and SoundCloud pages.
With much love for you all; remembering you in our prayers;
Your brothers in Christ,
Brian Pletcher, Ethan Rucker, and Brian Deubner