Rested, Refreshed, and Ready (Ministry Wives Retreat 2022)

“Well? How was it? Do you feel rested and refreshed?”

Members of our church gathered around me, eager to find out how my first FIEC pastor’s wives retreat had gone.

As a new pastor’s wife, I arrived at Holland House, a stunning Tudor house in a village outside Worcester, nervous about spending two days with 40 other wives. However, all of that went away when I was greeted with tea and cake and lots of friendly and chatty people.

Programme

At the start of the retreat, Adrian Reynolds (Head of National Ministries at FIEC) helped to focus our minds and hearts by reminding us from Ephesians 1 that as Christians we are chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, enlightened, included, and sealed.

Two seminars were given by FIEC’s Directors for Women’s Ministry, Rachel Sloan and Elinor Magowan. In ‘Sharing Jesus’, I was especially challenged to think about evangelism not being an added extra, but our life. Do we let people see enough of our lives, in enough depth, to see Jesus in us?

The 'Spiritual Check-up’ was very practical as we reflected on how we can be rooted in Jesus, built up in Jesus and strengthened in the faith.

Carolyn Lacey (Woodgreen Evangelical Church) led our main sessions, looking at the book of Jude. We were reminded and encouraged that we are called, loved, and kept for Jesus Christ. Then we were challenged to keep going and growing by building our faith, praying in the Spirit, and waiting for Christ’s return.

Highlights and anticipation

A big highlight for me, aside from the excellent food, was the time in small groups. This can sometimes be a daunting and awkward time; being put with a group of women you don’t know. However, we had three leisurely sessions together and so had plenty of time to discuss and chat honestly about the joys and challenges of ministry life as well as pray together.

I was with a wonderful group of women with different amounts of experience and came away encouraged and buoyed with a list of thoughts and practical ideas to implement when I got home.

So, did I feel rested and refreshed? Absolutely - despite staying up chatting far too late! But I also felt ready for a new season of ministry with all the highs and lows that will bring, confident that our Lord knows this.

Next year’s retreat is from 24 - 26 May 2023, at The Hayes, Swanwick, in Derbyshire. The new venue is larger so that more ministry wives can benefit from this valuable time together.

Put it in your diary now!