Roots: Belonging & Beloved – A retreat for college-aged young adults
College-aged young adults are invited to come away for a weekend of connection, creativity, laughter, and rest, rooted in the simple truth that you belong, and you are beloved.
This retreat invites you to explore storytelling as a gentle, life-giving practice. Though guided reflection, shared listening, and creative exercises, we’ll discover how our stories connect us to our roots, ourselves, and to one another.
In addition to the wisdom of our keynote speaker, the Rev. Bertice Berry, Ph.D., our weekend will include opportunities to take part in workshops led by the Procter Center’s Wylie Greeson (farm and program manager) and Jerusalem Greer (co-executive director) and Miriam McKenney, missioner for Beloved Community for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. The weekend’s clergy chaplains are the Revs. Julia and Iva Joyce-Miesse (St. Luke’s, Granville and Trinity, Capitol Square, respectively), and the young adult leaders are Darien McCoy (St. Luke’s, Granville and St. Mark’s, Upper Arlington) and Julia Gwin (St. Luke’s, Granville).
We hope you leave empowered to be the author of your story!
This event is hosted and sponsored by the Canterbury Club of St. Luke’s, Granville and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio.
April 10-12, 2026
5 pm Check-in on Friday
1:30 pm Departure on Sunday
Open to all college-aged young adults (even if you’re not enrolled in school!) Registration deadline is April 1.
Questions about this event?
Contact the Rev. Julia Joyce-Miesse, rector of St. Luke’s, Granville at revjulia@stlukesgranville.org.
The Rev. Bertice Berry, PhD. is an Episcopal deacon, sociologist, and award-winning author lecturer, named Comedian of The Year, Lecturer of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. She has published 11 best-selling books in both fiction and non-fiction, winning numerous awards and accolades for both her writing and presentations focused on a range of topics including race and gender issues, sociological studies, stratification, healthcare reform, humor, spirituality, sexuality, slavery and the abolitionist movement, weight loss and wellness, relationships, servant leadership, transformational leadership, diversity and love.
Berry has had her own nationally syndicated television show and has hosted, interviewed and made numerous television, documentary and radio appearances on a variety of diverse venues including The Tonight Show, Oprah Winfrey, Between The Lions, Crossfire, 20-20, NPR, PBS and Comedy Central and CNN. Berry has led parades, had classrooms named after her and has been awarded over 10 honorary doctorates. She earned her own doctoral degree from Kent State University at the age of 26 and still sees her most fulfilling achievement and role in life as that of mother to her five adopted children.
“If you ain’t dead, you ain’t done,” a character in one of Berry’s novels says.
Berry believes that every one of us has been given a unique purpose and it is our obligation to find it and use it to improve first our own self and then for those with whom we live and work.
