Oct 29 – Nov 1, 2025
Toddhall Retreat and Conference Center, Columbia, IL
(near St Louis, MO)
A homecoming of the Episcopal Cursillo family–
a time to celebrate, connect, share, and look ahead in
God’s wonderful tapestry of Cursillo.
Overview:
This is the bi-annual national conference for Cursillo in the Episcopal Church. The conference runs from Wednesday evening through Saturday lunch. All Cursillistas are invited to come share in the fellowship, talks, workshops, music and worship. The conference includes a short annual General Council of the ministry. This is where the business of the ministry (elections, budget, resolutions, etc) happens. We would be blessed to have representatives from every diocese that has a Cursillo ministry (or wants one!) to join us for both the conference and General Council.
(Updated, March 19, 2025)
Program:
The program is under active development, but here are some points firming up.
- The conference starts with supper at 5:30pm on Wednesday, Oct 29.
- Wednesday evening will feature a time of contemplation and music to help us get focused on our Lord and our mission within the gift of Cursillo
- Thursday and Friday will have times of worship, inspirational talks, workshops, and an Ultreya!
- The conference includes the Annual General Council where representatives from qualifying secretariats participate in business of ECM – electing representatives and officers, reviewing programs and budget. All conference attendees are invited to participate.
- We will have a Cursillo forum where you can share your thoughts, ideas on a range of topics.
- Thursday and Friday evening will feature brief social programs and then plenty of time to socialize with other Cursillistas.
- Saturday includes Holy Eucharist and then lunch at noon
Conference TOPICS:
we need your help! While the ECMC team is exploring topics for workshops, we want to present a conference that reflects the needs and interests of the larger Episcopal Cursillo community. To share your ideas – send an email to
Lodging and conference facilities:
Toddhall Retreat Center is the home for Cursillo weekends in the Diocese of Springfield, IL. Located in a rural suburb of St Louis, it is a peaceful, quiet setting for retreat. In general, guest rooms are equipped with two twin beds and a bathroom. Single occupancy rooms are very limited (16) and will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis (via conference registration).
For those desiring hotel accommodations, those need to be made individually at the Hampton Inn at 165 Admiral Trost Dr, Columbia, IL 62236, (618) 281-9000. The rate is $139 (plus tax) per night with your choice of rooms. Make hotel reservations over the phone and ask for the “ECM conference” or use this link. Note: you may be able to make a reservation, at this hotel, at a better rate individually, using your own personal discounts (AAA, AARP, etc), and using the Hilton (or other travel services) website.
Transportation to and from the conference center will be available for those staying at the hotel (at the beginning and end of each day’s activities).
All conference meals are provided via meal plan at Toddhall; vegetarian options are available.
Meals are served cafeteria style with a few options. If you have dietary restrictions, please indicate so during registration.
Registration:
Early registration – a $50 discount is available for registrations made before July 15, 2025. We plan for most people to lodge at the retreat center, with double occupancy. You will have the opportunity to designate a roommate at registration. If no roommate is designated, or the designated roommate does not attend, then, just like most Cursillo weekends, a roommate of the same gender will be assigned for the conference. Reminder: single occupancy rooms are limited at the retreat center (16). If you desire or need a single room, we recommend you register early or plan to lodge at the Hampton Inn. Full payment is required at registration.
Before you register, prepare this information:
- Desire for single/double occupancy
- Name of desired roommate (please coordinate with them before designating them).
Cancelation Policy:
Understanding that situations and plans can change, we want to be as fair as possible, but at certain milestones in the calendar, we incur real expenses that need to be recovered. To cancel, send an email to: events@episcopalcursilloministry.org
| Situation | Calendar Date | Action |
|---|---|---|
|
Cancel before Sep 14, 2025 |
Sep 14, 2025 |
Full refund |
|
Cancel on Sep 15, 2025, and after |
Sep 15, 2025 |
50% of refund lodging and meal plan, and no refund on registration fee |
Transportation:
The nearest airport with airline service is St Louis – Lambert International Airport. Conferees should plan arrive at the airport not later than 2:30pm on Wednesday, Oct 29th. Free transportation is provided with prior arrangement from and to the airport. Departures should be planned for not earlier than 3:30pm. Please click on the transportation reservation button after your airline reservations are made. (Airline flight information required to make a transportation request.)
FAQ
Why is there a specified airline arrival time?
Arriving by 2:30 pm will help us provide free airport transport for conference attendees to enable them to settle in before the first event supper at 5:30 pm, followed soon thereafter with the program if you cannot practically arrive by 2:30 pm. You may miss some of the program, but we will still work to pick you up at the airport.
How do I register to make sure I room with my spouse?
Registration is made on an individual basis. If electing to stay at the retreat center, specify your spouse’s name as a roommate in your registration. When your spouse registers, have them specify you as a roommate.
Are there scholarships available to assist participation?
Yes, there are limited scholarships available. Apply for assistance using the “Assistance Request Form” found on the Helpful Hints and Best Practices tab of our website. Grant notification will be made not later than July 1, 2025 to enable folks to make decisions, and still be eligible for early registration. Note: request forms must to be routed through local Secretariat leadership to ECMC.
Oops, I messed up my registration, how do I fix it?
Send an explanation to events@episcopalcursillo.org. Please include complete contact information, including phone number.
How do I cancel a registration?
Send a request for cancelation to events@episcopalcursillo.org. Please include complete contact information, including phone
number. Please be advised of the cancelation policy, which can be found here.
Is there transportation to and from the Conference hotel?
While we encourage people to stay at the retreat center, if you elect to stay at the Hampton Inn in Columbia, IL, there will be transportation in the morning (for 8 am breakfast) and then return at the end of the day. Hotel room expenses are entirely separate from conference registration fees (which include meals).