What’s good everyone,

I hope this finds some light reaching you today. I am excited to follow up about my Notes of Rest retreat happening May 30-31st in Oregon, IL (outside of Chicago). It’s the ministry’s first inaugural retreat and it’ll be a rich time of sharing some of the deeper fruits of the Notes of Rest journey that I’ve been on the last four years on my own and with communities across North America.

Sign up here

They say that any form of research is me-search. Notes of Rest has been that for me 100%. Over these last four years, I’ve come to better receive God’s gifts of rest in my own life. I am less anxious, I generally get better sleep (though sometimes still need to work on that), I am less impressed with busyness (my own or others’), and I am more still even when I do have a lot going on. At bottom, my life with God has grown and that has richly blessed all of my earthly relationships, starting at home. It’s also led to significant growth in my ministry through the arts, where rest has helped me receive God’s creative flow.

As a gigging musician, a Black man, as a millennial living in America, as a Christian, these changes cannot be overstated. And that’s just my story. I have heard testimonials from others sharing how it’s impacted them, such as this pastor who attended recently.

Julian Davis Reid brought Notes of Rest to our church's Confirmation Class. This year's class was particularly reticent, yet Julian's inviting presence and transformative music created an experience that drew them out, leading to rich discussion and reflection. Notes of Rest speaks to the head, heart, and soul, creating space to tap into our spiritual selves in ways that don't ordinarily happen during the busyness of life, even in many church worship experiences.

A focal text we’ll sit with on this retreat is John 4:6:

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

So much unfolds when we rest with the God who rested, with the God who intimately knows our exhaustion. When we attend to the fact God knows our exhaustion and rests, we can see more intimately, both ourselves and our neighbors.

What will happen at the retreat?

In partnership with Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and set in beautiful Oregon, Illinois at Stronghold Camp and Conference Center, the Notes of Rest retreat will follow a simple format:

Friday night (May 30)

• Dinner at 5p

• Notes of Rest Session 1

• Deep Silence (a night of no talking, so we can be attentive to God)

Saturday morning (May 31)

• Breakfast in silence

• Notes of Rest Session 2

• Circle of Trust Concert

• Lunch

• Notes of Rest Session 3

• End at 3p

• (Interspersed throughout the sessions will be singing from the new record Notes of Rest Hymns, Vol. 1.)

Unfortunately, we cannot offer childcare this year.

How much is it and how can I register?

The price is $200 but it’s a sliding scale based on what you can afford. You can register here. Registration is available until May 1 and space is limited.

I look forward to our resting together and pray that God blesses you on this eternal journey.

abundantly,

Julian