They come away to contemplate, to relate, to discuss, to plan. Many of you have been on retreats - perhaps at work, perhaps here at church, perhaps in some other organization. Sometimes what is prepared at these retreats actually develops as expected. Sometimes things go far better than initially thought possible. And sometimes things are a total flop.
Retreats are nothing new.
They have been going on in one form or another for at least 2000 years. Because the Bible tells us about Jesus going on a planning retreat. The setting is Caesarea Philippi, a small community built on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was populated mostly by non-Jews. Hence it was place to which Jesus could retreat from constant controversy with religious leaders, or demands from curious crowds.