2023 Classis Easter Canada Fall Retreat @ Circle Square Ranch - Arden Ontario

 

Fall brings many things to the Ottawa area. 

One of those things is our annual Classis Fall Retreat held at Circle Square Ranch (CSR) in Arden, Ontario.  

On Friday, October 16th, the annual trek to CSR began 

It all starts with John on Registration : ) 

We had a banner year this year. 

Last year we had 80 attendees. 

This year we had 131.  Whoot. 

An awesome number, which comes with its challenges too. 

The FIDGETS once again came out to entertain. 

I went back and looked at the very FIRST weekend they had done with us.  

You need to go back to the 2011 entry.  

So they have now been with us for 13 years. 

Wow!  

We always start with an easy icebreaker. 

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

Narrowing it down

To two.  

The Winner!!! 

Don't ask me her name : ) 

Then another game of questions.   

And then worship time.  

This year it's Cole and family pretty much : ) 

Great singing.  

Our speaker this year was Ryan from the Ottawa Campus Chaplaincy. 

He spoke on the book of Habakkuk and 

"When the World is Falling Apart"

Very apropos

 

He let the group do some small group discussion times.   

Here's what it sounded like.  : ) 

Snack time!! 

Megan and Leanne look unimpressed. 

What else is new..... : ) 

We had a fire this year.  

After a SHORT sleep, it was Saturday morning.   

Since we had so many attendees this year we used different tables. 

Less cozy, but they did the job.  

Emma brought some friends along to the retreat.  

They are having fun.  

Until they saw me taking their picture that is : ) 

John and Deb make sure the money matches the churches.  

An annual event I should sell tickets to : ) 

Seems Joe has work to do on this weekend.  

Everyone slowly wakes up.  

Except for Leanne and Megan. 

Good morning Margaret. : ) 

The boys chillin. 

Morning Theo, Eli, Gareth, and Sam.  

So chipper this morning : ) 

Breakfast is served.  

Time to gather in the long room.  

Cole getting organized.  

The Fidgets played another easy crowd-breaker. 

Heads or Tails. 

Down to the last few.  

Then a sketch called 

Mr./Mrs. know it all!

The team is asked a question and they answer one word at a time.   

Why is it a good idea to be a Dairy Farmer? 

How much milk can we expect from the average cow?

A new team.  

How do you know when you've found the right one? 

More worship. 

The retreat favourite is 

Days of Elijah

I have three different renditions. 

Days of Elijah #1

Ryan shares again.  

Then morning group games.  

oh, and the view of CSR

Here comes people.  

oh, it's just Leanne and Megan. 

Bahahahah

Everyone gathers. 

Looks like marching drills : ) 

In this game, you put one shoe on the left side, in a pile.  

Then line up on the right side as teams and you need to find your shoe in the pile, put it on, and run back.  

A video of it in play.  

Then piggyback races. 

A short video clip.  

What happened to everyone????  

I hope they are ok : ) 

Another game.  

Forget the name (Cavalier??)  but you need to do things as they are called out.  

A short video clip.  

Sitting down for lunch 

It gets VERY loud in this small space.  

Lunch is served. 

After lunch, we had 5 hours of activities. 

We were VERY thankful the rain held off.  

The FIDGETS always teach for that time. 

Tiring but they do a fantastic job. 

Hey Sam. 

Ready for Archery Tag? 

That is you isn't it Sam? 

Archery Tag.  

Emma and company 

Some video of archery tag. 

All lined up so nicely.

I wonder what would happen if we gave a gentle sideways push to the guy on the end.   

hmmmmmmmm : ) 

Team building time. 

Video clip to show some of it.  

Gotta pull people through the tire.  

That must have been rough.  

On the trail to the tree climbing.  

Emma going up.   

And video of same.  

John took better pics than me. 

What follows are his pictures of different things we did.  

I don't know the names of all you will see.  

Maybe you will know some of them.  

oh, that's ME!! : ) 

We had ten groups moving about.  

oh, and Debbie too. :) 

And lookeeee here.  

A shy horse.  

Cute.  

Horseback riding is always fun.  

We can only allow 30 people to ride though.  

Contemplative time.

Good ol' GAGA ball! 

More Archery Tag.  

Margaret giving directions :) 

Nice smile.  

These looked pretty fun.  

Short video clip of it.  

We used to be able to climb on these. 

But the woodpeckers put a stop to this several years ago.  : (

Each group had 1 hour free time.  

Learning Euchre

and UNO!!!! 

More FIDGET time.  

A short clip.  

More horseback riding.  

Nice picture.  

Ah yes. 

John gets his fill of flora and fauna pics each year. 

I said I'd put one or two in this time. : ) 

Nice hidden owl.  

I think I missed supper time, but that's ok : ) 

Time for some worship.  

When the Nations Tremble

And Days of Elijah #2

Days of Elijah #2

I will not be shaken

And then we had some fun with The FIDGETS.  

WHOOT. 

Cole in the skit CHANGE! 

Then Gibberish

split into 4 video sets due to the limited amount of video allowed at one time. 

Gibberish #1 

Gibberish #2

Gibberish #3

Gibberish #4

Then Sound Effects with Megan and Don. 

Sound effects #1 

Sound effects #2 

Sound effects #3

UHHHHH 

the workspace is growing. : ) 

We used the upstairs room this year as well.  

Ping-pong and games.  

Three of them now. 

Sheesh it's a weekend AWAY from that stuff 

or so I thought. 

Chillin after the FIDGETS

Not sure of this game. 

These folks found SEQUENCE but it had no chips. 

No issues says me. 

Just use the sugar packets. 

Worked like a charm " ) 

After another short night of rest, we arrived at Sunday Morning.  

Good morning!!  : ) 

Worship time after a continental breakfast.  

oh, but before that we went out for our group picture.  

our camera person. 

Whoot!!! 

A big group.  

Nowwww worship time.  

Great songs all around.  

Worship on our knees.  

A FIDGET game.  

The winner was on the right.  

Then two Fidget sketches.  

Ryan's final talk.  

and closing with ....

you guessed it.  

DAYS OF ELIJAH and then brunch!

Days of Elijah - Final Video clip.  

The FIDGEST signing posters.  

Our small but mighty crew that went. 

The Music TEam.  

And us.  

Whoot

Thanks to all who helped make this weekend AWESOME!!!! 

Until next year.