Billie's personal motto is "Have retreat - Will travel," meaning she also takes the retreat work of the center out to other retreat centers, to churches and beyond. Examples include leading a 6-week study on prayer during Lent, leading 4 sessions on leadership development, and creating a masking tape labyrinth for a church's health fair. She has facilitated several larger spiritual retreats for women. She facilitated mini spiritual renewal events for UM Christian Educators Fellowship and Youth Empowerment Servants in Kansas West Annual Conference. She led an adult workshop during the "I Want to Know" Youth Event sponsored by St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO in November 2001. On the conference level, she led a workshop titled "Soul-Tending" during the Kansas West Special Called Annual Conference in September, 2001 and led a healing experience at the 2003 Clergy Session of Annual Conference. In 2006, Billie led an early morning spiritual formation group for the International United Methodist Clergywomen's Consultation in Chicago.
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center provides a safe and sacred space for women to come for spiritual direction, introspection, soul tending, personal growth and community. Individuals have time to think, pray and center themselves. Groups have opportunities to learn to work as a team and grow together spiritually. Facilitated retreats are offered with a particular focus or theme, like using the labyrinth as a meditation tool, creating and using prayer beads, understanding writing as a tool for healing, and learning and practicing spiritual disciplines.
Retreats are created and offered by Billie and a team of women passionate about ministry to women. The center does host retreats developed by other groups and facilitators. Men are welcome for day retreats and co-ed overnight retreats.
Retreats are also created by Billie to meet individual or group needs. Individuals have come wanting to focus on a particular issue in their lives, such as working through grief or making vocational decisions. Groups have asked for retreats that would enhance their ability to work together. Women's groups from several churches have come to TSRC for their annual retreats. Some have come here for their first retreat ever. Retreats can be developed to enhance the work of Pastor-Parish Relations Committees, church staffs, administrative councils, and other groups and committees of the church in the areas of conflict management and resolution, group-building, or understanding that the work of a committee is "worshipful work."
Billie has an interest in clergy self-care, as well, including their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. She believes it is important for clergy who come here for retreat time to be able to talk with someone who has experienced some of the struggles and concerns they have in local church work. As the director, she can offer that listening, knowing ear to clergy, as well as safety and confidentiality. She also is able to offer the sacrament of communion so that clergy may simply receive the Eucharist and have no clerical responsibility for the experience.
Rev. Billie Blair, Director
Photos by Marshall Hutchinson
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center offers a variety of meaningful retreats for women. All retreats listed on the schedule or in the center's brochure are for women, unless otherwise noted. Click on "Retreat Schedule" to see the 2008 offerings.
The center also hosts retreats which are planned by groups or individuals and may be open to men. Men are welcome at the center for day retreats or co-ed overnight retreats. To book a retreat at Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center go to "Contact Us."
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Mission Statement
The mission of Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center is to provide spiritual formation and renewal, primarily for women, in a rural Kansas setting.
Men are welcome for day retreats or co-ed overnight retreats.
Pet Policy
Due to the number and variety of wild animals around the center, please leave all pets at home.
Alcohol and Smoking Policy
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center is a smoke-free and alcohol-free facility
"Come with me by yourselves
to a quiet place and get some rest."
Mark 6:31Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center began in June of 2001 as the dream of Rev. Billie Blair. Billie is a United Methodist pastor, specializing in a ministry of spiritual formation. Her passion is ministry to women. Her own journey towards being the woman she is fully meant to be is ongoing and she loves walking the path to spiritual wholeness in the company of other women.
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center:
Where Women Find Their Way
1780 Thurman Creek Road
Matfield Green, Kansas 66862
620.753.3465
Rev. Billie Blair, Director
Billie teaches that we all have choices in life, that we need not "should on ourselves," that it is important to feel the feelings we have, and that life can be good. Billie's undergraduate work in religion and Christian education at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, KS. She has a Master of
Divinity from Garrett- Evangelical Theological Seminary and has recently received her Certification in Spiritual Formation from the United Methodist Church. She has one daughter, Andi, who is married to Kurt, a farmer/rancher in western Kansas. They have 2 daughters, red-headed 7 year old Allison and 3 year old Natalie and a third child on the way.
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center
Where Women Find Their Way
Billie's ordination
as an Elder in
The United Methodist Church
May 27, 2005
I did it!
All you need is deep within
you waiting to unfold and
reveal itself. All you have
to do is be still and take the
time to seek what is within,
and you will surely find it.
- Eileen Cady | ||||
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