Four Corners Retreat at UUFD 2026:
“Renewal at the River of Life”
WHEN: July 11 & 12, 2026
WHERE: UUFD Campus – 419 San Juan Dr. Durango, CO 81301
WHO: UU members and friends from across the Four Corners region are invited!
COST: FREE Please register to help us prepare
QUESTIONS: information@durangouu.org or minister@durangouu.org.
Dear UUFD Members and Friends,
After careful deliberation regarding the safety of hosting 100 campers and guests at Pine Song this year, we have decided to moved the Four Corners Pine Song Retreat to the UUFD Campus.
Given the increasing threats of wildfires in our area, it does not feel safe to continue with the event under such tender circumstances. In addition, our hosts, Karen and Bob Klinger, need to remain in Boston to care for their family. Given these circumstances, it seemed wise to quickly pivot and relocate the retreat to the UUFD Campus.
We understand this news arrives as a disappointment to our community. Pine Song has been a source of inspiration, community, and deep connection in the Four Corners for many years. We plan on preserving many of the Pine Song traditions while adapting the weekend to accommodate this quick pivot. You can find the revised schedule below.
Given the change in venue, the event will be FREE OF COST for all participants. Those who have already paid for registration may be refunded the full registration fee, or they may donate their registration fee to one of the ministries of the congregation, including the Capital Campaign, Share-the-Plate, FY 2027 Pledge Balance, Immigration Family Assistance Fund, or the Legacy Fund.
If you have already paid and would like a refund, please fill out THIS FORM.
If you would like to redirect your registration fee to one of the congregation’s ministries, please use THIS FORM.
Although the event will be FREE this year, we do ask that you register so we can plan and prepare for you and do our best to accommodate dietary requests. REGISTER HERE.
We know this change is a surprise. If you have registered but will not be attending, please send us a note: information@durangouu.org.
Hospitality and Meals at the Event:
Throughout the event we will have coffee, tea, water, and snacks available. Lunch is provided on Saturday and will be catered by Zia Taqueria. Dinner will not be provided on Saturday night. Sunday will be a community Potluck with grilled items provided by the congregation.
Honoring our commitment to ecological justice, we ask participants to bring a water bottle, cup, or mug; a plate, and silverware with them to the event. We will have a washing station available following meals. We also have tableware sets available at the event.
Finally, due to the change of venue and limited space for programming, dogs will not be welcome at the retreat. We love all our furry friends, but they will be much happier at home this year.
Thank you for your understanding as we move quickly while keeping the spirit of Pine Song alive in our commitment to the vision of the retreat. We look forward to welcoming you to the UUFD Campus on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 9:00am, with Registration beginning at 8:30am.
If you have any questions or would like to talk with Rev. Jamie, please contact her at 708-612-0759, or email her at minister@durangouu.org.
With gratitude,
Sherrod Beall, President; Tim Miller, Vice President; and Rev. Jamie Boyce, Minister
REGISTER HERE
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday, July 11
8:30-9 am Welcome and Registration
9-9:30 am Ingathering Worship Service “Gathering at the River”
Join members of the UUFD Worship Arts Team for a vespers service of ingathering. Together, we will center ourselves riverside, inviting the spirit of renewal and restoration to dwell in us and among us. This contemplative service will open our hearts and minds to the spirit of Pine Song and the community we create together.
9:30 am-12 pm Workshop with Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar
“The Water of Life: Story, Soul & the Search for Meaning”
Life is not one story, but many. Again and again, we are asked to leave behind an old self and step into a new one. Every season of life brings its own losses, revelations, and beginnings. In that sense, life is a series of initiations.
Science, reason, and logic help us navigate the practical world. But when our hearts are broken, when grief finds us, when the old maps no longer work, facts alone are not enough. In those moments, we turn to story. Myth speaks a different language — one that reaches beneath explanation and into meaning.
This summer at Pine Song Retreat, we will explore the ancient tale of The Water of Life, a timeless story of healing, courage, and transformation. Through storytelling, reflection, and conversation, we’ll enter the wisdom of this myth as a guide for our own lives.
The story begins with a sick king — and reminds us that when the ruler is unwell, the whole kingdom suffers. In an age when truth is contested, reality is blurred, and artificial intelligence complicates what we trust, ancient stories can help us recover a deeper kind of knowing: the wisdom found in symbol, relationship, and shared human experience.
Come ready to listen deeply, reflect honestly, and discover what this old story may reveal about your own journey toward compassion, courage, and wholeness.
12:00-1:00 pm Catered Lunch with Zia Taqueria
1:00-3 pm “Unworkshops” Consider offering an activity or skill and sign up Saturday morning
3:00-5 pm Dancing and Live Music with Bad Habit
Get ready to boogie oogie oogie with Bad Habit from Durango, CO! Bad Habit brings a dynamic mix of classic rock, funk, soul, fusion, and a touch of jazz with bold vocals and killer grooves. Don’t forget your dancing shoes!
Sunday, July 12
10:00-10:45 am Sunday Morning Worship “Taking the Water with Us”
Join the UUFD Worship Team for a multigenerational closing worship service that celebrates and honors our sacred retreat time. Together, we will consider how the spirit and wisdom of Pine Song can move through our lives even as we take our leave from the river’s edge.
10:45 am-noon Patio Potluck
CHILDREN & YOUTH PROGRAM
Saturday, July 11
Older Children & Youth
8:30-9 am Welcome and Check In
9:00-9:30 am Ingathering Worship Service
9:30-10:00 am Children’s Chapel and Covenant
10:00-11:45 am Urban Nature Walk
12:00-1 pm Catered Lunch with Zia Taqueria
1:15-3 pm Activities and Unworkshops
3:00-5 pm Mini Movie Theatre
Activities: Led By Callum Fable, Volunteer staff, and Childcare Professionals
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- Outdoor games and Team Building
- Gaga Ball Pit
- Crafting and Art
- Music
- Staffed childcare tent for littles and preschoolers
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Littles & Preschoolers
9:30 am – 5:00 pm Childcare & Activities at Columbine House
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- Story Time
- Songs
- Freeplay
- Arts and Crafts
- Kiddie Pool
- Outdoor Games
- Napping
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Please note:
Catered Lunch provided by Zia Taqueria for all registered attendees.
Snacks provided throughout the day.
Water refill station will be provided.
Children under 18 need a designated adult present at the retreat.
REGISTER HERE
GUEST SPEAKER
Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar has served for 27 years as senior minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, one of the largest Unitarian Universalist congregations in the world.
A lifelong seeker, Marlin’s path has included hitchhiking across the United States at 19, traveling around the world on a ship, living in Kyoto, Japan and spending three years cycling around the globe by mountain bike. He earned his Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and was ordained in 1999.
Marlin is also a political cartoonist for The Oklahoma Observer, using art, humor, and metaphor to interpret current events. His ministry combines storytelling, spiritual depth, and lived adventure to help people make meaning of their own lives.
He and his wife, Anitra, are the parents of three children, and this will be his second time serving as minister at Pine Song.