Guidelines in Conducting Online Retreat

SFC COVENANT ORIENTATION WEEKEND

1. The SFC Covenant Orientation Weekend can be conducted online in this time of pandemic
due to restrictions in the physical gathering.

2. It is recommended to schedule the retreat in 3 consecutive nights starting from Thursday,

ending on Saturday, or at least finish the whole retreat within two weeks.

3. A maximum of two (2) talks per day are allowed. Duration must be 2 hours to 2.5 hours only.
Below is the suggested schedule.

PART 1 (DAY 1)
No. of
From To Activity
Minutes
6:30 7:00 Gathering/Teaching of Songs/
Reminders from the Service Team
7:00 7:20 Worship 00:20
7:20 7:30 Introduction of participants 00:10
7:30 8:10 Talk 1: Our Covenant and the Mission and Vision 00:40
of SFC
8:10 8:25 Personal Reflection 00:15
8:25 8:30 Screen Break 00:05
8:30 9:10 Talk 2: Prayer, Scripture, and Sacraments 00:40
9:10 9:25 Personal Reflection 00:15
9:25 9:30 Announcement / Closing Prayer 00:05
02:30
PART 2 (DAY 2)
No. of
From To Activity
Minutes

7:00 7:20 Worship 00:20

7:20 7:30 Brief Sharing from the Participants 00:10
7:30 8:10 Talk 3: Strengthening Family Life 00:40
8:10 8:35 Group Sharing: My Family is a Gift 00:25
8:35 8:40 Screen Break 00:05
8:40 9:20 Talk 4: The Culture of Singles for Christ 00:40
9:20 9:25 Assignment- Cultural Fashion Sketch (SFC Culture 00:05
in My Family)
9:25 9:30 Announcement / Closing Prayer 00:05
02:30

1
 PART 3 (DAY 3) – option 1
No. of
From To Activity
Minutes
6:30 7:00 Gathering/Teaching of Songs
Reminders from the Service Team
7:00 7:20 Worship 00:20
7:20 7:40 Presentation- Cultural Fashion Sketch 00:20
7:40 8:20 Talk 5: Being Christian in the Workplace 00:40
8:20 8:30 Small-Group Sharing 00:10
8:30 8:35 Screen Break 00:05
8:35 9:15 Talk 6: Loving and Serving the Poor 00:40
9:15 9:25 Plenary Sharing 00:10
9:25 9:30 Closing Prayer 00:05
02:30

PART 3 (DAY 3) – option 2

No. of
From To Activity
Minutes
6:30 7:00 Gathering/Teaching of Songs
Reminders from the Service Team
7:00 7:20 Worship 00:20
7:20 7:40 Small group sharing- SFC Culture in My Family 00:20
7:40 8:20 Talk 5: Being Christian in the Workplace 00:40
8:20 8:30 Small-Group Sharing 00:10
8:30 8:35 Screen Break 00:05
8:35 9:15 Talk 6: Loving and Serving the Poor 00:40
9:15 9:25 Plenary Sharing 00:10
9:25 9:30 Closing Prayer 00:05
02:30

4. Since the retreat will be conducted online, the speaker will be given 30 to 40 minutes to
deliver the whole session. The speaker should be mindful of the allotted time and keep the
session concise and creative without sacrificing the content.

5. It is highly encouraged to keep the maximum number of participants to 25.

6. Keep in mind the following Code of Conduct in attending an online retreat:

a. Like our regular retreat, block off your schedule and focus on the online activity.
b. Prepare yourself for the event.
i. Dress appropriately.
ii. Prepare a dedicated table, set up a small altar, and bring your Bible,
journal, and pen.
2
 iii. Remove anything that can distract you or take your attention away from
the retreat.
iv. Close all non-essential laptop or smartphone applications.
v. The use of earphones is highly encouraged to keep your focus on the online
event.

c. Be punctual. Join the online session on-time.

d. Turn on your video throughout the duration of the online event. Likewise, put your
microphone on mute at all times, unless it is your turn to speak.
e. Don’t just watch. Listen attentively and be involved!
i. Write down talk highlights and reflection notes in your journal.
ii. Participate during sharing. Ask questions.

f. During praise and worship, you are encouraged to stand, raise hands, sing, and
clap.

7. The Service team, except team leaders, should turn-off their video when the session starts.
Inform the Speaker to set-up his zoom to hide non-video participants. Explain this set-up to
the participants to encourage them to turn their videos on at all times.

8. Each part must be closed with a simple prayer and 1 fast song. No need to have closing
worship.

Team Composition

1. Team Leaders
a. A brother and a sister must be assigned to lead the online retreat.
b. Must be SFC leaders who live out the SFC covenant in the different aspects of their
lives.
c. Shall be responsible for providing overall guidance on the conduct of the retreat.
d. Must go over the outlines and understand the sessions by heart. They need to be
ready in case any speaker encounters technical difficulties.

2. Zoom Master/ Technical Head

a. Must be SFC leaders who have the technical know-how on using online facilities
and tools.
b. Must have strong internet connectivity and use desktop or laptop computers in
the duration of the retreat.
c. Shall be responsible for setting up the meeting room and the breakout rooms.
d. Shall facilitate the admission of participants and muting of microphones, if
necessary.
e. Shall be responsible for playing reflection songs during the personal reflection part
of the retreat.

3
 3. Music Ministry
a. At least one member of the music ministry who can play the guitar and teach songs
while gathering the participants.
b. Shall be responsible for leading the singing of songs during worship.
c. Shall be responsible for playing specific reflection songs during the personal
reflection.
d. May also serve as keyboard warriors during session proper.

4. Facilitators/ Moderators
a. Shall serve as the emcees or moderators in the duration of the retreat.
b. Shall be responsible for introducing the speakers, facilitating plenary sharing, and
providing guidance during session dynamics.
c. Shall be responsible for keeping track of the schedule and monitoring adherence
to the allotted time for the sessions, sharing, and other activities.

5. Prayer Warriors
a. Shall be responsible for continuous praying throughout the duration of the
retreat. Prayer must be focused on the service of the team members, the speakers
and their delivery of the talk, the worship leaders and their exhortation and
prayer, and the smooth flow of the program.
b. Shall be assigned in a separate break-out room.

Important Dynamics (Refer to the Suggested Schedule)

1. Introduction of Participants
After the opening worship on Part 1 of the retreat, allow the participants to introduce
themselves. You may give them a few questions to answer to make them feel more involved
even at the beginning, such as:
a. How did you know about SFC?
b. Who invited you to the CLP?
c. What do you look forward to experience in the community?

2. Reminders for the Service Team

a. Keep in mind the online etiquette that shall be followed during the retreat.
b. Encourage all participants to keep their cameras on.
c. Encourage all participants to use the chat box should they have any
questions, clarification, or reflection to share.

4
3. Personal Reflection
a. Sufficient time (at least 15 minutes) must be allotted for personal reflection.
b. Reflection songs may be played, but there shall be no other activities on screen so
it may also serve as a screen break.
c. A relaxing photo may be shown on screen during personal reflection (e.g. beach,
mountain, etc.).

4. Speaker
a. Speaker's profiles are provided in each session’s outline.
b. Discernment of speakers should be done prayerfully.
c. Selected speakers shall be notified in advance in order to give them enough time
to prepare for their respective talks.
d. Team leaders shall communicate with the speakers and provide reminders
regarding the session.

5. Brief Sharing
After Part 2 opening worship of the retreat, allow the participants to share with the group
something about their day, or the time that has passed between Part 1 and Part 2 of the
retreat. You may ask questions such as (ask one question only, what you discern as most
fitting):
a. What is the message of the Lord to you during the day/week?
b. Share your happy thoughts
c. What is the most beautiful blessing that you received during the day/week?

6. My Family is a Gift
a. Must be done in breakout rooms, with each room facilitated by a member of the
service team.
b. Group the participants into 4-5 members, with each group assigned to a specific
breakout room. As much as possible, each group must have at least 1 brother and
1 sister.
c. Ask the participants to show a portrait/picture of their family.
d. Each participant shall share what they honor the most about each member of their
family.

5
7. Cultural Fashion Sketch
a. Must be done in breakout rooms, with each room facilitated by a member of the
service team.
b. Group the participants into 4-5 members, may or may not be the same grouping
as the My Family is a Gift group.
c. One of the aspects of culture is a people’s manner of dressing or their costume.
Knowing the Christian culture of SFC, its values, beliefs, and practices, sketch an
“SFC costume” that will reflect the important aspects of our culture. The group
shall discuss the design of their SFC costume and shall collaborate in sketching it.
They may use online whiteboard applications or annotate for collaborative
sketching. Each group shall explain the design of their costume in Part 3 of the
retreat.

8. SFC Culture in My Family

a. Family culture can have significant implications on how a person would adapt to
the culture of a group, i.e. the SFC culture. This activity aims to:
i. Allow the participants to realize that there are SFC cultures that are already
being done in the family, and thus, SFC culture will not be hard to adapt;
and
ii. Allow the participant to appreciate the value of their family culture and
how it helps develop their relationship in the family, the same way the SFC
culture binds the members of the community.
b. Each participant will be asked to think of ways on how they express family culture
(praying together, going to Mass every Sunday, eating together, traveling
together, certain family values, etc.) and relate it to the SFC culture.
c. The participant will also need to show an item or something that best represents
their family culture.
d. Activity will be done in the breakout room with 4-5 members in each room to give
chance for each participant to share.
e. A plenary sharing will follow, where each group shall assign one member to
summarize their small group sharing.

9. Small group sharing

a. Must be done in breakout rooms.
b. Randomly group participants into 4-5 members, different from the previous
grouping.

10. Plenary Sharing

a. Should schedule permit, emcees may ask for volunteers to share.