Senior Class Retreat

Dear Koinonia Staff,

Thanks so much for the awesome job that all of you did in making us feel so comfortable and well fed. You have a beautiful facility and wonderful staff. We are very grateful.

Campus Ministry

From the Weekend of April 25th

Dear Koinonia Staff,
Thank you so much for all your help and support. We had such a good weekend - Food was great, chapel time was wonderful, and our people loved the walking trails and bonfire!

Blessings in Him

One Sure Sign of Spring!

Bloodroot appears in the wilderness 40.

Bradley Remembers Koinonia

Despite what a person might think, in winter it has never once been cold at Koinonia. Once upon a time, when I was in an exceptionally good mood, I proved this to myself definitively. I was in my sophomore year, and it was minus 10 degrees with no windchill outside, and I walked across the Koinonia grounds in just my swimming trunks to go visit my friends in the Columbine cabin. I honestly didn’t get cold, though it was a brisk walk. What I’m still curious about to this very day is whether my proven theory would hold up under those conditions with a moderate windchill.
But my friends down in the Columbine didn’t really understand why I did that. They thought maybe I wanted to gather them up for a late night sauna session down on the beach, but in the winter you normally take off your shirt only after the sauna warms up. When I realized that my arrival was being met with pure confusion instead of cheers of adoration and pats on the back, I decided to turn around and run back to the Sumac cabin.
Many times I’ve thought about what I did that day. Koinonia is probably the warmest place anyone will ever visit. That holds true even when it’s winter and ten below zero outside. Wherever you are on the grounds, there’s a fireplace nearby. I think of all those fires I’ve seen burning in all the many Koinonia firepits outside, and in all the fireplaces in each of the buildings with all those different people. Hot chocolate in hand of course. All those marshmallows, and graham crackers and sticky fingers that get wiped on pants and jackets and sometimes napkins; how many times have I rinsed off my hands in the lake? How many times have I jumped into the lake thereafter? The night swimming occasions are numberless. So are the conversations. And the games we’ve played, some of them at a table, or on a floorspace in one of the buildings, or on the lake, or the beach, or the upper field, or out among the trees in pitch darkness under the stars.
If a place can be loved, then Koinonia is one of those loved by many. Yet it will always be the people, not the place itself, who give the place its meaning.

Brad Williams

Wendy's Koinonia Reflections

Koinonia has always been a safe haven for me. From my earliest memory I can recall a strong feeling of trust and security while visiting Koinonia, be it in a discussion group on a church retreat, playing the hand bells at Music Camp, racing down the sledding hills at the New Year’s Eve retreats, or diving off the floating dock at Family Camps. The retreat center symbolizes a space where one can feel free to sing, dance, meditate, worship, explore and perform. Oh yes, and I do mean the historical talent shows. Not only have I watched guests of all ages perform at high levels of talent, but I have also witnessed grown women dance, while in their pajamas, to a recorded tape of their own voices singing “Jesus is a rock and he rolls my blues away” in what appeared to be synchronized steps. And one of these women happened to by my mother. But was I embarrassed or upset?? Oh no. Deep down I knew the audience was laughing WITH her. I kept this in mind as my sister, me and a handful of good friends lip-synched to The Sound of Music’s “So Long, Farewell” which I felt stole the show.

I have many fond memories at Koinonia, and the Carlson Conference Room stage where pure talent has shown its face, is one which clearly stands out. Bring on the shows!

Koinonia Is.....

… Grace – We wonder about the meaning of grace. Perhaps the best way to define it is a visit to Koinonia, Hennepin’s hospitality ministry on Lake Sylvia, about an hour’s drive west of the Twin Cities. God’s grace provided Koinonia’s beautiful setting. The grace of many Hennepin families made possible the quality buildings and other facilities. And the grace of a talented and committed staff enables Koinonia to function as a loving retreat and conference center, not just for the church but for the whole region.

… Sanctuary – There’s a certain feeling when you’re at Koinonia. About the time you drive through Annandale and enter the grounds, you experience a feeling of calm – that you can rest and be at peace. We have established sanctuaries for birds and other wildlife. Koinonia is a people sanctuary – a welcome respite from today’s stressful living. Koinonia follows the instruction in the Gospel of Mark, sixth chapter – “Now come away to a quiet place and rest a while.”

… Fellowship – With our on-the-go schedules, are we any less nomadic than the shepherds of Christ’s day? No wonder that our need for connection to one another has never been greater. Hennepin fills that need at Koinonia. Koinonia is a place where the whole Hennepin community can renew through fellowship. Whether enjoying a meal together in the dining hall or a walk by the lake, Koinonia helps us connect.

… Family – The world tries to pull families apart, with all its tribulations. For more than 46 years, Koinonia has been helping the Hennepin family knit together. At youth camps, nature weekends or family reunions Koinonia ministers to all kinds of families, in a way all its own. Our retreat and conference center is close enough to the Twin Cites to be easily accessible, yet far enough away to let us leave our cares behind and learn to love again.

… Fun – When Jesus tells us to come to him as a child, he must have Koinonia in mind. With more than 100 acres to offer, Koinonia is a gift from God and meant for play. Lots of learning goes on there to be sure but in a setting that offers hiking, fishing, swimming, sailing in summer and skiing, skating and smores by the fireplace in winter. Then there are the quiet times, reading a book or enjoying a great meal. All these are opportunities to create ourselves again – to re-create.

… Study – Many adults don’t find the time to study. We get so busy earning a living and caring for our families that we don’t renew our minds. Koinonia is a pleasant way to avoid that pitfall. Koinonia is a place for learning, a place where we deepen our relationships with ourselves, with others, with the earth and with God. Study can be a personal retreat or a public seminar. You can choose how you want to grow -- a morning on a nature walk or an afternoon in the well-stocked library. Koinonia is a great place for study.

… Worship – Praising, praying, proclaiming the word and putting it into action all take place at Koinonia, with as many worship settings as there are ways to worship. Morning vespers in the newly renovated chapel, a prayer walk on the outdoor labyrinth, a scripture reading around a campfire or a multitude of service projects all enable us to worship God and God’s beautiful creation.

Jeff Smith

A Rainy Day in October

Quiet Times by the Lake

This morning the moist air absorbed all the sound.

A Note from Peer Mentors

Thanks for the great service and accommodations, we had a great time! The 24 hour coffee was awesome and you have the best chocolate milk ever. I am still thinking about the barbecued chicken. We look forward to our stay next year.