Winter Retreat Part 1

It’s Saturday, January 13, 2007, the second day of Winter Retreat ’07. LCC (the church for which I youth pastor) and Church Alive have partnered to put on a fantastic retreat that I’m really excited about. I’m sitting in the chapel. We’ve got 10 minutes before the next activity.

Our theme for the weekend is “Survivor: Clark Canyon – OutServe*OutPray*OutLove.” Sam, Church Alive’s youth pastor, is running the camp, while I’m primarily the speaker for the weekend. So much for background.

It’s been a great weekend so far. It hasn’t been easy, especially this past week, yet it’s been great from a standpoint of growth. Shari and I have grown in so many ways through prepping for this event. We’ve learned much about leadership, building relationships, trust, dealing with conflict, and learning to work with others as a team. I’m reminded of Dan’s statement about how a team goes through three stages as they grow together. I can’t remember the last one, but the first two are “Stormin’” and “Normin’”. There has definitely been some stormin’ going on as we learn to work with so many different people. Yet it’s been great, and I’m thankful in the end.

Well, it’s time to move on to the next activity – Broom ball on the frozen basketball court. It will be great. I’ll try and report again on how the rest of the weekend’s gone… even if these are being posted a day or two after we get back. At least you’re getting my thoughts as they happen.