Story by Nicole Walters and photo by Marilyn McEntyre
The fog rolls gently over the ridge, weaving through the cypress trees that line the retreat house at St. Columba’s. Below, Tomales Bay stretches wide and still, its waters reflecting the shifting sky. Inside, a small group of writers sits near the fireplace, pens poised, voices hushed in reverence for the moment.
Marilyn McEntyre, a poet, teacher, and author of Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies and When Poets Pray, has spent years exploring the power of language to illuminate, heal, and deepen faith. She teaches at the intersection of literature and spirituality, helping others discover how writing—whether through journaling, poetry, or personal essay—can be a way of listening for grace.
This spring, she returns to St. Columba’s to lead “Practicing Trust in Times of Transition, Writing for Healing and Living into Grace”—a weekend retreat for those navigating change, whether large or small. Through a mix of guided exercises, small-group conversation, and quiet writing time, participants will reflect on the thresholds in their lives: What am I being invited to release? What new thing is waiting to emerge? How can I lean into the unknown with trust rather than fear?
A past workshop participant, Rev. Sandy Tice, reflects on the experience of learning from McEntyre:
“Marilyn is a rare combination: she loves living people as much as she loves the written word, and she tends both with gentleness, intention, and skill. A group of us who came to a workshop together can bear witness to the way she heard, nurtured, and amplified each of our voices. Are you thinking about this? Don’t hesitate for a minute! Years later I am still harvesting gift upon gift.”
At the retreat, there will be time to wander the wooded trails, to sit with a cup of tea in one of the retreat house’s sunlit alcoves, to watch the birds that drift over the bay. In the evenings, the group will gather by the fire, sharing short pieces—fragments of memoir, lines of poetry, lists of things once held and now let go. Some will come with stories already taking shape; others will arrive with only an open heart and a blank page.
But all will leave with something: a sentence that shimmers with truth, a new way of seeing, a beginning that asks to be continued.
For those who have never attended a writing retreat, the experience is less about “becoming a writer” and more about discovering the power of writing as a spiritual practice—one that helps us live more attentively, more prayerfully, more awake to the world around us.
And for those who simply long for a place to slow down and listen, St. Columba’s offers exactly that. St. Columba’s continues to distinguish itself as a sacred space for renewal, fostering retreats that nurture the soul through art, writing, music, and prayer. This retreat is open to writers of all experience levels, from seasoned authors to those simply seeking a space to reflect.
The retreat will be held February 20-February 22 with commuter options also available. Space is limited. For more details or to register, visit Stcolumbasinverness.org.
