About the YES Retreat

The YES Retreat is a three day, two night high school retreat for Sword of the Spirit youth and their friends. The goal for this weekend is to create an environment where youth have the chance to say YES to the Lord’s call of discipleship. The retreat also aims to bring youth to initial or deeper conversion, to pray with them for Baptism in the Spirit, to help them grow in confidence in worship, and to encourage them in the use of the gifts of the Spirit.

Participants and volunteer staff can expect a weekend of awesome talks, testimonies, and breakout sessions; deep discussion in small groups; and powerful, God honoring worship!

Registration

April 5-7, 2024 |  Michindoh Conference Center in Hillsdale, MI

Cost: $215, Estimated Size: 300 Youth, 125 Staff

Registration will open in December

Registration will close in March

YOUTH Registration Closed

Note: If you experience issues with the cost or have a special case, contact us and we will take care of your issue as soon as we can.

Late Registration and Cancellation Policy

  • If you register after March 15, the retreat price will increase $50 as a late fee.
  • If you cancel by March 15, we will refund your full registration fee.
  • If you cancel between March 15 and March 22 we will refund your registration fee minus $50.
  • If you cancel after March 22 we will not issue any refund.

Schedule

Friday

5:00 pm  Registration Opens

5.30 pm  Dinner Available

7:30 pm  Opening Session

11:30 pm  Lights Out

 

Saturday

7:45 am  Breakfast

8:50 am  Split Sessions

10:30 am  Convocation

11:00 am  Breakout 1

11:45 am  Lunch

1:00 pm  Breakout 2

1:45 pm  Small Groups

2:15 pm  Rec Time

5:00 pm  Lord's Day

5:30 pm  Dinner

7:00 pm  Evening Session

10:30 pm  Entertainment

11:30 pm  Lights Out

Sunday

8:30 am  Church Services

9:45 am  Brunch

10:45 am  Closing Session

1:00 pm  End

 

Location

Michindoh Conference Center
4545 E Bacon Rd., Hillsdale, MI 49242

If you are flying in for the weekend, Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) is approximately two hour drive from Michindoh. You will need to arrange your own transportation to and from the airport. For more information about transportation, please contact your Youth Group Leader.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring?

  • Bible and notebook
  • Clothes for recreation on Saturday afternoon
  • Clothes for the Lord's Day Celebration and for Sunday service
  • Sleeping bag and pillow
  • Towel and toiletries
  • Clothes to suit the weather (The average temperature in Michigan in late March is between 30-50°F, but it can be much colder)
  • For Boys: Bring clothes for the men's session that you don't mind getting dirty or destroyed

What about cell phones and other valuables?
Young people are advised not to bring cell phones and any other valuable items to the YES Retreat. Kairos would encourage parents to use the cell phone of a youth group leader or other staff member to contact young people during the retreat if necessary. Kairos and Michindoh accept no responsibility for items that are lost or damaged during the retreat.

Where will we sleep?
You will be sharing dorms or cabins at Michindoh Conference Center along with other YES Retreat participants and staff. Please bring your own bedding. You can rent bedding from Michindoh but there is a charge and a limited supply. Please let us know if you would like to do this so we can inform Michindoh in advance how much bedding we require.

How do I pay for the YES Retreat?
To pay for the YES Retreat, you can pay online at the button on the Youth Registration or Staff Registration pages. Or, you may make a check out to "The Sword of the Spirit" and, on the memo line, indicate "Yes retreat" along with the names of the people you're paying for. Please send the check to the following address:

Attn: YES Retreat
Kairos
1502 River Terrace
East Lansing, MI 48823

What if I am paying as part of a group?
The best way to pay as part of a group would be to have one check made out to "The Sword of the Spirit" and sent to the address above. Please include a list of the people being paid for, if they are registered as a staff or student, and if they would like a t-shirt.

What if somebody else is paying on my behalf?
If paying by check, please have the person sponsoring you indicate whom the payment is for in the check's memo line.

Where can I get more information?
Get in touch with us using our contact form.

Testimonies

Before the praise and worship on Saturday night, when we had small groups and were praying over each other, I asked for prayers to have more courage, and to be confident in myself and my body God has given me. The prayers and words I received touched my heart in a beautiful way, the knowledge I received changed me forever. During praise and worship afterwards, I just felt this freedom, freedom to praise! To glorify!

-Freshman 2018

I've been lost for the longest time and I ended up drowning myself in negativity. All I saw was the negative things in the world. I didn't open up to my brothers and sisters in the youth group, I pushed them away at times. I didn't pray to God when I needed to. I was in a state of depression and I didn't know what it meant to have joy. The YES retreat this year opened my eyes and my heart to God, to the joy that he wants for me. I know now how God works in our lives, that he puts these challenges and struggles in front of us because at the end he will reward us with the joy he has planned all along.

-Sophomore 2017

I am a junior and this year the Lord has been calling me to lead, especially when I become a senior. I had been refusing to respond to his call until Yes Retreat. During the retreat I finally submitted to the lords call. God gave me healing for my emotional hurts, I gained freedom to worship, I claimed my faith for my own, and received the confidence to lead. There are many more smaller things the lord did for me this retreat and all of them are connected. God did not just call me to lead but he equipped me to lead.

-Junior 2017