Sweet Summer Days "This is the time to fly, to create, to investigate, to listen, to invent together. Start each day with a new heart and a new mind." ― Bayo Akomolafe On this first day of summer 2026, we’ll come together to remember and explore summers past. Summers of playing in the park all day, […]
A weekend retreat with the words of Etty Hillesum, led by Susan Stein “Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it toward others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our […]
Spring 2026 “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ― Maya Angelou What changes are you being called and invited to experience, explore, embrace, and embody in these seemingly turbulent times? How are you reacting or responding to the realities of change […]
How to love ourselves and each other in a divided world This day retreat at Avila Center for Community Leadership will invite participants into one of the most challenging and transformative teachings shared across many spiritual traditions: the call to love one’s enemies while also learning to love oneself with honesty, dignity, and care. Rather […]
Avila Center for Community Leadership, Durham NC We are excited to once again offer a retreat with Lama Rod Owens March 8-10. As the land around us awakens, we will settle into community practice, grounding ourselves in an awareness that helps us meet the world’s unraveling with clarity and compassion. A retreat allows us to […]
The Possibilities of Now Rescheduled from original dates (Jan. 31-Feb. 1) due to inclement weather. Our spiritual lives change as we age and as our circumstances change with it. In this retreat, we will explore our spiritual journeys in the context of our later years, when there is more time in the rearview mirror than on the […]
The darkness invites our curiosity to rest in what we don’t yet know, and listen with compassion. On the longest night of the year, we’ll gather to ground, breathe, and remember that faith lives in the body. Together, we’ll witness ourselves and each other, honoring this sacred pause as the light begins to return. Come […]
Lessons and Practices from the Works of Barbara Holmes Spend a beautiful fall day with clergy colleagues as we are led in learning about and experiencing spiritual practices from the late Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes. The day will include large and small group conversations, spiritual practices, times of silence, and a nourishing lunch. Read about […]
Join us for Weathering the Storm: A Contemplative Retreat in the Manner of Friends, October 24-26, 2025, at the Avila Center for Community Leadership in Durham, North Carolina. Together we will reflect upon the storms that we are now encountering, whether in our nation, community, or as individuals. Who might we become through the storm? What may be […]
A cultural review of the first occupants of Orange and Durham counties Join Beverly Scarlett for a transformative overnight retreat exploring the history of the land, water sources, and the […]
Homecoming: An Autumn Immersion You're invited to join us for a day of celebrating the sensuous autumn season. With the intention of finding inner peace in these changing times, we'll […]
Avila Center for Community Leadership, Durham NC We are living through an apocalypse, a period of deep truth unveiling. This revelation seems overwhelming especially as it calls into question our […]
