History of TEC

The TEC retreat was developed by a group of Roman Catholic educators in Battle Creek, Michigan.   In the fall of 1964 their diocese asked this group to develop a retreat for high school seniors.   During that year, the weekend gradually developed into its present day form of TEC.

The thanks for the effort of that first year and the final program go to Sister Concetta RSM, to Father Matthew Fedewa and to more than 1,000 youth who attended and shared of themselves.

The enthusiasm of the youth and adults that have attended TEC spread the program across the United States.   Over 49 Catholic Dioceses now sponsor 58 Catholic TEC Centers throughout the US.   In addition, there are two TEC centers in Canada and six international TEC centers.   TEC arrived in St. Louis in 1973, as the Gateway TEC Center started hosting TEC retreats.   Over the years, thousands of youth and adults have participated in TEC retreats conducted by the Gateway TEC Center.

How did TEC start in the Lutheran Church?

Show Me Lutheran TEC saw its earliest beginnings in 1979, as a group of Lutherans, who had attended a retreat hosted by Gateway (Catholic) TEC in St. Louis, began meeting monthly as a home Bible study group.   These individuals were excited about the TEC retreat's focus on Christ, its emphasis on God's Word and its effectiveness in touching the lives of young people.

In hopes of possibly starting a Lutheran TEC program, they began to recruit potential leaders to attend subsequent Gateway TEC retreats.   This core group laid the foundations for the new Lutheran TEC center.   Planning for the first Lutheran TEC program initiated by the Scholl, Lanius, Broleman, Marquardt, and Roma families.  This group of Lutheran clergy and lay leaders adapted the weekend to a Lutheran setting and into Lutheran theology, while retaining the essence of the TEC program.  

On June 21, 1980, the first Show Me Lutheran TEC retreat was held at Salem Lutheran Church in Affton, Missouri.   The Show Me Lutheran TEC Center has assisted several other Lutheran TEC Centers start up throughout the United States.   At one point in time, the number of Lutheran TEC centers numbered around 13.   Thousands of young people in this country and abroad have benefited from TEC weekends.