Church Retreat Agenda Template

A standard Friday-to-Sunday church retreat runs nine sessions across two and a half days. Friday is arrival plus one worship session and small group. Saturday is the full day with worship, recreation, and small group. Sunday is the closing morning session before departure. Below is the hour-by-hour agenda template with the apparel and goodie-bag touchpoints baked in.

Friday Schedule: Arrival to Lights Out

• 3:00 to 5:30 PM: Arrival and check-in. Attendees pick up the welcome bag with the branded retreat tee, the agenda printout, and goodie items.
• 6:00 PM: Dinner. Casual buffet or boxed meal.
• 7:00 PM: Kickoff worship and teaching session. Theme introduction.
• 8:30 PM: Small group breakouts. Ice-breaker, prayer pairings, theme discussion.
• 10:00 PM: Free time, snacks, fire ring or game room open.
• 11:30 PM: Lights out request for shared cabins.

Saturday Schedule: The Full Day

• 7:30 AM: Optional sunrise prayer or quiet time. Coffee and tea available.
• 8:00 AM: Breakfast.
• 9:00 AM: Morning worship and teaching session.
• 10:30 AM: Small group breakouts.
• 12:00 PM: Lunch.
• 1:00 PM: Free time or optional activities (hike, swim, board games).
• 3:00 PM: All-group recreation block (capture the flag, ultimate frisbee, kickball).
• 5:30 PM: Free time, shower, transition.
• 6:30 PM: Dinner.
• 7:30 PM: Evening worship and teaching session, often outdoors at the campfire.
• 9:00 PM: Small group breakouts.
• 10:30 PM: Late-night snack and fire ring open.

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Sunday Schedule: Closing Morning

• 7:30 AM: Optional sunrise prayer.
• 8:00 AM: Breakfast.
• 9:00 AM: Closing worship and commissioning session.
• 10:30 AM: Group photo in branded retreat apparel.
• 11:00 AM: Cabin clean-up and packing.
• 12:00 PM: Lunch.
• 1:00 PM: Departure.

Where the Branded Apparel and Goodie Bags Fit

The most common approach: attendees pre-order the branded retreat tee and hoodie through a Pro Shops storefront before the retreat. The apparel ships to each home address. Attendees pack the tee and wear it on arrival.

For ministries that prefer to hand the tee out on site, the storefront still works. The ministry orders the tees in advance, holds a small inventory, and hands them out at check-in. Either way, the goodie bag at check-in includes the printed agenda, a water bottle, a journal, and a small treat.

Customizing the Template for Your Retreat

Three common variations to the standard template:

• Womens or mens retreat: Trim the recreation block. Add a longer free-time block. Add a craft or workshop session.
• Youth or college retreat: Extend the late-night block. Add a worship night at the campfire. Build in more recreation.
• Couples retreat: Replace small group with paired discussion blocks. Add free time for couples-only activities.

The agenda flexes around the theme and audience. The apparel and goodie touchpoints stay constant.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a church retreat be?

A standard church retreat runs Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. That is two nights and three days, with nine sessions of worship, teaching, and small group. Some ministries do a day retreat (Saturday only) or a longer five-day retreat. The Friday-to-Sunday format is the most common.

How many teaching sessions should a retreat have?

Four to six teaching or worship sessions across the weekend works for most groups. Pair each session with a small group discussion block of roughly half the length. Avoid stacking more than two teaching sessions back to back.

When should the group take the retreat photo?

Sunday morning, in the branded retreat apparel, before the closing service. Light is good, energy is high, and the photo becomes the keepsake for the year. Some groups also take a Friday arrival photo for comparison.

How do we get the branded retreat apparel without coordinating a bulk order?

Set up a Bear Grips Pro Shops storefront for the retreat. Upload the design. Share the link with attendees. Each attendee orders their own size, and the apparel ships to their home before the retreat. No size collection, no bulk order, no leftover inventory.