Pastor's Retreat
The past two days I have been at the annual Pastor's Retreat sponsored by Hawaiian Islands Ministry (aka HIM). This was the 11th time I have been a participant and it gets better every time.
This year over 60 pastors and staff from over 40 churches spent two days listening to Don Cousins, a co-founder and former Executive Pastor of the Willow Creek mega-church outside of Chicago. Don helped us refocus our call to ministry and helped walk us through matter of the heart, team building, truths and lies about serving God and what really determines whether a minister is "successful" or not. It was better than great. God showed up in the presentations, in the prayers, in the sharing, in the renewing of old friendships and the creation of new ones.
For the past five years the retreat has been held at St. Stephen's Diocesan Center (that's what the picture is showing) just off the Pali Highway, half-way up the Pali from the Kailua side. There are few more beautiful spots in the world and the sun shined the entire time!
I took copious notes and fear that I may have compiled enough material for at least three sermon series covering nearly four months worth of Sundays! It is all wonderful, biblical, life-changing, life-rearranging stuff. It helped touch the hearts of a bunch of tired and hungry pastors. I know it will do the same for the good folks in my congregation. After all, they get tired and hungry, too!
This year over 60 pastors and staff from over 40 churches spent two days listening to Don Cousins, a co-founder and former Executive Pastor of the Willow Creek mega-church outside of Chicago. Don helped us refocus our call to ministry and helped walk us through matter of the heart, team building, truths and lies about serving God and what really determines whether a minister is "successful" or not. It was better than great. God showed up in the presentations, in the prayers, in the sharing, in the renewing of old friendships and the creation of new ones.
For the past five years the retreat has been held at St. Stephen's Diocesan Center (that's what the picture is showing) just off the Pali Highway, half-way up the Pali from the Kailua side. There are few more beautiful spots in the world and the sun shined the entire time!
I took copious notes and fear that I may have compiled enough material for at least three sermon series covering nearly four months worth of Sundays! It is all wonderful, biblical, life-changing, life-rearranging stuff. It helped touch the hearts of a bunch of tired and hungry pastors. I know it will do the same for the good folks in my congregation. After all, they get tired and hungry, too!
posted by Bird of Paradise at 8:15 PM
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