A Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) retreat is a wonderful opportunity to develop and strengthen your friendship with Christ. It is a three-day retreat that provides an experience in Christian living and is open to young adults of any denomination. You will find time for reflection as well as be able to share your feelings and thoughts with others in a non-judgmental atmosphere. It is an exciting week-end in which you will meet other young Christians from the Jefferson City diocese.

The word “Teens” can be misleading. We are all God’s children and during a TEC week-end the young and not so young gather together. It is not just for teenagers because it is together that we share Christ actually living among us.

TEC has two different names for the people who experience the retreat. These are candidates and observers. Both candidates and observers have the same experiences on a TEC week-end. The majority of participants are candidates (high school and college-aged young adults), but observers (those older than college-age) lend a wonderful perspective to the weekend.

When you first arrive most people are strangers so there is time to get acquainted. Near the end of the week-end a group picture is taken so everyone can remember their new friends.

You get into groups at tables to work on different projects based on talks that young, and not so young, adults share with the group. Those talks are really something to hear! You may find out other people have the same problems and obstacles in their lives as you do. You can’t help but admire them for their honesty and openness. The tables share among themselves whatever reactions they may have to the talks. You are never forced to say anything unless you want to.

There is prayer on the week-end, but not so much that it’s boring. You may get to see some new ways to pray that you never thought could be prayer. Prayer that is alive!

The TEC Masses are pretty remarkable because you’re with people you’ve come to know really well. The music is simply awesome.

TEC week-ends are typically held in January, February, June, and July. They occur over the Martin Luther King holiday in January and the President’s Day holiday in February so you don’t have to miss school.

Once you have attended a TEC, you may be on the team for a future retreat. Team members can be any person who has experienced a TEC retreat as either a candidate or an observer. This includes people who have made TECs in other dioceses.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please check the Mid-America TEC website for applications and other information.