Retreat, retreat!!

Last weekend was the minister's and spouse retreat. The staff from NCC went up a day early to have time together. It was such a good time for them to all go (minus one staff member who couldn't go b/c of a loss in his family) and spend time together, discuss many pastoral and secretarial items, and to go relax. A very generous family let the staff go to their cabin at Grand Lake and stay for free. It was a gorgeous cabin! It was right on the lake and had enough bedrooms for all the staff. It was definitely a retreat!

On Friday the wives went up to join them. We got there and went to dinner and came back to play games. We ended up staying up till almost 1 playing games and hanging out. These people are so incredibly fun and amazing to be around! This was Jarod and my view from our bed as we woke up on Saturday:
Yes that is the lake with the sun rising behind it! So incredibly gorgeous and a great place to go do devotions at!

We had breakfast together and then had a time to dream for the church. Rob asked us all to share what we dream for Northside. It was so encouraging and exciting to hear where everyone's heart is at. Northside is going in a direction that is about serving and connecting to the community. It's about reaching out to the poorest in our area, the unlovely, and the people who just need help. It's becoming the first century church to each other and to Broken Arrow. I am really excited to see where this takes us. Hopefully I can write more as things progress and begin to happen. All I know is that God has worked in the hearts of our staff and put dreams in place for Him to really work. It will be quite the adventure!

We enjoyed a nice game of bacce ball too. I played alright but it's hard to throw the ball far when my center of gravity has shifted. :-) We ate lunch and headed home and set the stage for Sunday morning. Next year the retreat is going to be longer and hopefully at the same place. It was such a blessing to be together and dream for Northside. I love this church and its people!