The Annual Vestry Retreat was held Friday and Saturday, February 20-21, 2009. In attendance were members of the Vestry, Trustees, Registrar, Chaplain to the Vestry and Interim Rector.

The Annual Vestry Retreat has become a tradition in recent years, usually held in the weeks following the January Annual Meeting where new Vestry members are elected. In addition to tackling administrative matters, the general purpose is to allow the leaders of the church the opportunity to become close with one another individually, become closer to God as a cohesive leadership body, reflect on the past year and discern what God has in store for the upcoming year.

To say this was just another Annual Vestry Retreat would not do it justice. This year there was also an underlying sense of excitement and optimism with the new chapter beginning at our parish and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Friday evening began with prayer, social time and a team building exercise. The vast majority of the evening was spent getting to know one another more deeply as each person in attendance recounted their recent highs and lows as well as their personal spiritual journeys. The evening ended as it had begun, in prayer.

Saturday was a long and intense, but prayerful, positive and fruitful day. After opening again in prayer, each person in attendance had an opportunity to openly reflect on the past, present and future of this parish. There were also open and personal Vestry member discernment over the Senior and Junior Warden positions and in depth discussion of an excellent slate of Trustee candidates. Other matters included detailed reviews of the Ministry Plan submission, approval and review process and Fundraising policy, among other business. Again, Saturday closed as it had opened, in group prayer.

The church leadership proved, once again, over the course of the retreat, that they are strong leaders driven by the will of God towards discerning God’s greater purpose for the this Covenant Community as a whole. And being in that position is certainly not easy…just ask Moses!