Where is Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center located?
Near Matfield Green, KS in the heart of the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas. Click here for directions.
How did Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center get started?
Click here to read the story of the beginning of TSRC.
What kind of overnight experiences are offered by the Retreat Center?
A variety of overnight retreats are offered. Click here to see the calendar of events. It s also possible to "build your own retreat" - for an individual or a group. See Build Your Own for more information.
What do I need to bring if I come to stay overnight at Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center?
Bed linens, pillows and towels are all provided, so bring whatever clothing and toiletry items you need or want to bring with you. Some women also bring earplugs (or a Walkman and favorite CD) in case someone snores in the sleeping room! Oh, my, do women snore? Flashlights or a small reading light is helpful, if you like to read in bed. Snacks to share in the evening, if you'd like.
What if I'd like to come just for a day experience?
That's possible in at least three ways:
1. Quiet Days Away are offered the first and third Monday of every month. These are days when one can come to the Center for a $20 fee (lunch is included) and spend the day walking to the creek, relaxing in the Bunkhouse, renewing one's spirit in the peaceful setting of the country.
2. Various one-day guided retreats are offered throughout the year for a fee. Click here to see the schedule.
3. Spiritual Direction/Companioning is offered in conjunction with a day retreat or with a visit of only o few hours to the Center.
What might I see when I come to Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center?
There are deer, wild turkey, woodchucks, and squirrels. An occasional armadillo has been sighted, as well as bobcat and cougar. We honestly haven't had a snake sighting for several years - we are in a rural area, though, so one never knows! You can also see ranchers in their feed trucks, plenty of cows along the way and (this is the best part) you can see the sky touch the ground out in the wide open spaces!
What do the buildings and surrounding area look like?
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center is located on 4 acres of a larger working cattle ranch. It consists of two buildings, the Main House and the Bunkhouse. The Bunkhouse can accommodate 12. While the Main House can sleep up to seven, it is used mainly for overflow accommodations. It is also the home of the Center's Director. Both buildings are large two-story houses. There is a meditation path among the cedar trees and a natural grass labyrinth mowed into the grass. Click here to view pictures of the center.
May I come to tour the houses and grounds?
Yes. Call 620-753-3465 or send email to Tallgrass to make an appointment with the Director, Rev. Billie Blair.
May I bring my pet when I come on retreat?
Due to the numbers of wild animals in the area, please leave pets at home.
Is Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center a not-for-profit organization?
Yes, the Retreat Center is a not-for-profit, incorporated 5601(c)3 organization with an all volunteer board of directors.
Is Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center affiliated with a church or religious organization?
The Center's Director, Rev. Billie Blair, is a United Methodist pastor. The Center itself is a non-denominational organization and does not receive funding from any particular religious entity.
How many people work at Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center?
At this time, the only staff person is Rev. Billie Blair, founder and director of the Center. Click here to learn more about Billie.
If only one person works at Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center, does she do all the retreat facilitation?
No, there are a variety of facilitators invited to lead retreats who have a passion for working with women. They lead a variety of experiences. Click here to meet the facilitators for this year.
The mission statement says this is a retreat center primarily for women. Are men allowed to attend at all?
The center is primarily for women because Rev. Blair has a passion for ministry to women - to help each woman who comes to Tallgrass become more fully the person God intends her to be. Also, as a pastor and a single woman, and because of the sleeping accommodations at the Center, it is more appropriate for her to be in ministry to mostly women. Men are invited to attend co-ed retreats or men-only day retreats, as noted in the retreat center's schedule, and to retreats scheduled by outside groups.
I'd like to bring my family to the retreat center. May my children come?
The center's liability insurance covers folks 18 years and older, so, unfortunately, children under 18 may not come to Tallgrass at this time.
Is smoking allowed at the retreat center?
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center is smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free. There is one outdoor smoking area for smokers.
How is Tallgrass funded?
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center is currently supported by fees from retreats offered at the Center, by individual donations and gifts, and through the One Hundred Women Program. Click here to learn about this program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Photo by Marshall Hutchinson
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center: Where Women Find Their Way
1780 Thurman Creek Road
Matfield Green, Kansas 66862
620.753.3465
Rev. Billie Blair, Director
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Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center
Where Women Find Their Way
