Registration Now Open

Three Ways to Register

(1) Complete the online registration form, then return to this page to pay deposit online (or mail in payment).

(2) Download this form to fill out, print, and mail with payment (or email form to[email protected], then pay online)

(3) Call 618-952-1272 to register and may arrangments to pay deposit.

A $50 deposit is required to secure your reservation. Mail forms/payments to JCity Center for Hope and Renewal, 504 E. Broadway Blvd., Johnston City, IL 62951

Retreat Details

NEW DATE! April 10-11, 2026

Registration Fee $250* per couple (all inclusive)
$50 deposit required with reservation (refundable until April 1, 2026). Balance due at beginning of retreat.

*$100 scholarships are available for Free Will Baptists in Illinois.

Schedule

Registration begins Friday at 4:00 p.m. Retreat concludes Saturday evening after a candlelight dinner.

Limited space – Register Soon

Maximum participants: 12 couples (waiting list created when registration is full).

How is this different from other marriage retreats?

It’s designed for any couple—those seeking “marriage enrichment” as well as those who need “rescue and repair.”

The activities (processes) will be experiential and interactive not lecture-based.  Methods will engage all senses.

The maximum number of participants will be 12 couples, 2 facilitating couples, and possibly 1 or 2 helpers.

Small groups help build trust and safety and  encourage honesty. At times men will meet with men and women with women to discuss sensitive issues with frankness.

Facilitators will share and demonstrate tools to improve relationships and provide opportunities to practice these before going home.

The entire retreat is a “no shame zone.” We deal with real-life “marriage breakers,” like addiction, infidelity, pornography, trauma, crisis situations. etc. We intent to create a safe place for everyone. All participants and staff must agree to keep anything shared at the retreat confidential.

We’ll offer follow-up options for marriages in crisis, partners dealing with trauma, and couples contemplating divorce.

Couples will have the option of meeting one-on-one with a trained facilitator, marriage coach, or professional counselor sometime during the retreat.

Get information about our personalized 3-Day Marriage Counseling Intensive for individual couples.

7 Elements of a Christ-Centered Marriage

Retreat sessions will provide guided instruction, experiential processes, and open interaction centered around these seven key elements of a healthy Christ-centered marriage:

  1. Effective Communication—utilizing personal strengths and toning emotional muscle to create an atmosphere in which each person feels heard and understood.
  2. Healthy Conflict Resolution—exploring biblical peacemaking, understanding conflict styles, practicing fair fighting rules, and developing non-confrontational strategies for addressing issues.
  3. Appropriate Boundaries—maintaining safety and moving toward healthy interdependence.
  4. Increased Empathy –gaining greater sense of the other person’s stories and emotions.
  5. Multifaceted Intimacy—broadening understanding of intimacy and encouraging a healthy and meaningful view of oneness.
  6. Couple Discipleship—identifying and implementing spiritual gifts while growing together in relationship with God
  7. Unified Stewardship—addressing financial concerns from an abundance perspective rather than a scarcity mentality.
What to Bring

Bring comfortable clothing suitable for both indoor and outdoor activities (weather permitting). Bring toiletries, medications, and any other necessary health-related items (i.e., C-PAP, glucose monitor, etc.). Of course, don’t forget your Bibles, pen, and paper. You will receive a retreat journal to be used as a guide to the processes and activities. After you return home, this journal will help you recall the skills you learned at the retreat for you and your spouse to use daily.

What to Leave at Home

Leave all computers and electronic devices at home. Do not bring work or work-related assignments. The processes at this retreat require full attention. Cell phones are not permitted during sessions, and couples are encouraged not to contact family members during the retreat, except in emergency situations.

Retreat Facilitators

Keith and Sarah Fletcher, happily married 45 years, describe those years “for better or worse.” Keith, a former pastor of JCity Church, now serves as director of JCity Center for Hope and Renewal, a nonprofit community organization launched by JCtiy Church in 2021. An LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) and NCC (National Certified Counselor), Sarah provides faith-based counseling at JCity Center. Trained in a variety of therapy areas, Sarah’s primary focus has been trauma and relationships. Keith and Sarah logged 15+ years in Celebrate Recovery and have participated in multiple recovery-oriented retreats. The Fletchers have three married children and two grandchildren. They enjoy thrifting, camping, and kayaking (with Sarah on the water and Keith on the bank).

Randy and Rhonda Carney serve at JCity Church, where Randy is lead pastor. Married for 52 years, they live near Thompsonville, Illinois. Dr. Carney is the author of “The LOVING Way Marriage Series,” including From Mountains to Molehills on overcoming and the first book in the series on the topic of leaving. He also wrote How to Write a Book in 28 Days or Less. Rhonda’s varied ministries have included homemaking, being a pastor’s wife, teaching in a Christian school, and working several years in a Christian bookstore. Their 4 children and 12 grandchildren are all active in church, and their son’s family serves as missionaries in Japan. The Carneys enjoy thrift stores, mini-golf, and books.

Accommodations

Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp is located just off IL-127 about halfway between Pinckneyville and Nashville, Ill. It is a 40-acre, year-round camp and conference facility owned by the Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA). Each building on the property has a unique lake view and is within walking distance of the dining hall.  A sidewalk with a bridge (lit at night) crosses the lake in the heart of the camp.

The Sallateeska Inn consists of 16 hotel-style rooms with one or two double beds in each. Every room includes a bathroom with a shower/tub, stool, and sink. Towels and linens are provided. The inn’s large conference room can hold 60 people and features a kitchen area and fireplace.

The facility address is:
4867 Baptist Camp Rd.
Pinckneyville, Illinois 62274

Scroll to Top