Koinonia, a semesterly retreat provided to the Benedictine College student body, provides another opportunity to encounter the Lord and build community.
The purpose of the Koinonia retreat is to provide an environment in which students not only come and make themselves available to encounter Christ but also build community as well as make new friends and strengthen already relationships.
Koinonia is heavily focused on the aspect of community and bonding through faith.
The reason for this comes from the word koinonia which is the Greek word for community.
Koinonia is unique because it is student-led and is offered specifically to Benedictine students.
It is an opportunity to see the Lord work in your life by witnessing his presence in the lives of those around you.
Many students having this experience attend come back to these retreats, but each one still manages to bring along new participants each semester.
The beauty of Koinonia is that it is designed to be a surprise every semester so as to keep the retreatants on their toes of what to expect this semester.
Jack Schoening, a Benedictine College Senior, has been going to this retreat throughout his time at the college and is part of the leadership team.
He sees Koinonia as a microcosm of the church as the early church began with just a small group of people and then eventually became what we know it to be today.
He really enjoyed his experience of going with his friends and bonding over the pursuit of Christ.
“You learn to trust God by trusting the leaders.”- Schoening said.
Sarah Vrazel, a Benedictine College Sophomore, has also become a regular attendant of Koinonia.
“It was so formative for me. It really helped me find my place here.” Vrazel said
After her first retreat she has been coming back to help lead the next one. She wanted to give back to the community that poured into her and gave her lasting friendships.
This year the team looks forward to seeing who God calls to participate in this semester’s retreat and to see the participants encounter Christ through their witness.
