This past March 28 - 30 Pastors and spouses, and ministry workers from Classis Eastern Canada - the West end - spent a couple of days in retreat at the NAV Canada Centre in Cornwall.
We arrived on Monday afternoon and checked in. Joycegina and I arrived a bit early, but our room wasn't ready yet, so we travelled into Cornwall and found a nice tea/coffee place to rest for a bit.
We soon returned and were given our room assignment. Finding the room made me chuckle. The place is called NAV Canada, and it should really stand for NAVigating the building. Just getting to our room required 2 gravol pills because of all the twists and turns you needed to make to get there.
The rooms were small, but clean. The bed, small but clean. : )
We were set to start at 4:00 pm with our first session in a small meeting room. That too proved a bit of a challenge to find. I assisted those who were coming to the meeting room to make their ordeal a bit less stressful. We ended up starting closer to 4:45 pm with worship lead by Jack and Jane.
Our facilitator for the retreat was Cecil from Pastor/Church relations. A wonderfully upbeat person who helped to make this retreat time go way too fast. : )
As you might well guess, getting Pastors and ministry people together means there is alot of talking that goes on. This was a common scene during our break times.
During our first session Cecil had us introduce ourselves by giving us the time to tell how we got into ministry and what might our exit strategy be if we decided to get out of the ministry.
It was really nice to hear the different stories of how people entered into ministry, be they Ordained Pastors, Unordained Youth Pastors, Spouses, or Ministry workers.
Since I'm writing this blog I'll share with you what I said, as best as I can recall:
- Started into Youth Group at age of 16.
- Entered into leadership roles pretty much right away.
- Took a year off after high school to work and figure out what I wanted to do in life.
- Went to Durham College and got a 3 year diploma in Industrial Management.
- Took a Job at an esclator handrail manufacturing company for two years as a traffic manager (getting me close to my love of wanting to be a truck driver).
- Decided I wanted to go into youth ministry of some sort because I was doing this pretty much now anyway and using my job to support my ministry stuff.
- Went to Reformed Bible College (now Kuyper College) and got a Bachelor's of Religious Ed. Degree with a minor in Greek.
- Got scared when done RBC and defaulted to Calvin Seminary.
- Spent a year getting into Seminar and then two years in Seminar.
- Around the time you start preaching a great deal in Seminary, I realized I didn't want to be a "preaching every Sunday" kind of Pastor, but didn't know what else to do.
- A wise man at Seminary told me to leave and if God wanted me back, he'd make that abundantly clear.
- I didn't listen at first. It took two meetings like that to get through to me.
- I left seminary and started looking for a youth ministry position.
- I'd heard about this tri-position youth ministry position in Sarnia, but scoffed at that. Who'd be crazy enough to do that.......
- Turns out God told me I was so I started in June of 1995 as a Youth Director there.
- Spent 7.5 years there and had a blast, as well as some very difficult times.
- Found relief in Ottawa, at Calvin CRC where I've now been for 8+ years.
- If I ever got out of youth ministry, I'd like to get my trucking/bus liscense and drive, or be a camp director, but my love is where I am right now..in youth ministry.
After our sharing time Cecil reminded us that, in all our situations, we joined the ministry while ministry was already going on. We don't necessarily join into ministry with churches/organizations to change things. We need to remember that the church has been around long before we jumped in with both feet and will continue on long after we jump out. A good reminder.
We soon parted company. Some went to their rooms, while others went to discuss theology in the Pub located near the cafeteria. : )
Tuesday morning brought us some great food in the cafeteria and then together for another session.
Cecil led us through the issue of "calling" and what that means for all of us. We discussed different sets of Bible passages as they relate to calling.
The take away for me was that even though Pastors may have a particular call, we all are called to ministry. We should be encouraging our church members and specifically our youth to discover their call in life, be that ministry and also vocations that aren't.
I think we've lost some of the passion for call for church members. I think I'll be trying to talk more about that with our youth.
We also talked about "pinches" a bit, but more on that later.
After this session we had lunch, and then the afternoon was basically free.
I spent some time talking with Pastor Jack and then took a swim in the pool. I met a new friend in the pool. A 7 year old girl who was very friendly. I think mom was a bit concerned, keeping a watchful eye on us. My new friend taught me how to use the water slide.
Some of the others guys were in the pool too, and as you might have guessed, where two or three guys are gathered together, there shall a competition break out.
Ours ended up being who could dive in the pool and swim underwater the longest. I don't like keeping my eyes open in the water so I ended up going crooked and didn't win.
After a short dip in the VERY hot tub, it was time to dry off. As I was wringing out my bathing suit, Ben pointed out to me this cool invention. A bathing suit spinner that dries out your bathing suit. SWEET.
I went up to my room for a brief nap, and then it was time for dinner.
Tuesday evening's session ended up being a discussion time on three basic questions:
1. What's the time you most feel like a Pastor?
2. What's the time you least feel like a Pastor?
3. What's your pinch point, or something that irritates you?
Again, it was wonderful to hear the different stories. It was also painful to hear how some have experience real pain in their churches at the hands of people have their own agendas, or just don't get that ministry takes give and take, not just take (I can relate from my time in Sarnia, but can thankfully say that has not been the case in Ottawa).
Again, since I'm writing the blog, I'll not share the others stories, but just mine.
1. I feel most like a Youth Pastor when I see young people step up when challenged and do their best and learn and grow from that. I think of things like our youth praise team, the mission trips we've been on, and those who are mentors for our Special Needs SERVE projects.
2. I feel least like a Youth Pastor when I'm on the bench coaching Volleyball. The challenge of competition is great and learning through victory and defeat is challenging.
3. As for a pinch point, I really couldn't come up with one. At this time in my calling I'm where I know God wants me to be, and I know I'm serving in a church that's happy with what I'm doing (for the most part : ) ) and I'll take that at this point in time.
After our session, we played a group game. Crazy Bunko. Crazy is true. It involves lots of dice, lots of counting, and lots of noise (well, I at least helped in that area). I didn't win the game, but had a TONNE of fun.
The game ended and several retired for the night, while some returned to the pub for more relaxed socializing.
I slept in Wed morning and munched on finger food at our final session for the retreat. Jack and Jane lead us in worship and then Cecil read us a sermon he'd preached about the thin places in ministry. The gap between heaven and earth is thin. Why do we often miss the presence of God as we minister?
Before we knew it, the retreat was over and we were on our way home again.
I really enjoyed this time we had together. I got to know fellow workers in new ways, and many got to express themselves with people of like mind who understand the joys, and struggles, of full-time ministry. We were able to support one another, laugh together, and learn.
I think we came away from this time healthier spiritually and emotionally, and that will only help keep our churches healthier too.
Thanks Cecil for your "real" presence during our time together. You are good at what you do for our denomination and we are the better for it.
Thanks Jack and Ken for planning the retreat.
Finally, thanks to the Lilly Foundation for making this retreat possible.
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