Retreat helps ministers deepen connection with God
Published on 13 September 2024 2 minutes read
Ministry is a deeply rewarding but demanding vocation and sometimes ministers need to take some time out of busy parish life to recharge their batteries.
That is exactly what 11 ministers did recently when they gathered at Kilmalieu Retreat Centre in Lochaber to explore and deepen their journey with God through reflection and prayer.
The facility on the Ardgour peninsula, overlooking Loch Linnhe in the west of Scotland, is a remote place and in the heart of a 3,000-acre estate that includes mountains, coastline and woodland.
The week-long retreat was organised by Rev Dr Martin Fair, the Church's Pathways to Ministry manager who has responsibility for supporting early-years ministers, and hosted by guides Steve Aisthorpe and Wendy Lloyd.
The ministers in attendance, apart from one, were all ordained within the last five years.
They are: -
Rev Fiona Crawford, Glasgow: Barlanark Greyfriars
Rev Sumit Harrison, Carnwath with Carstairs
Rev Stuart Finlayson, Forres Community Church
Rev Tim Mineard, Barrhead: St Andrews
Rev Amy Bender, Keith North, Newmill, Boharm and Rothiemay
Rev Jade MacLean, Ardgour, Morvern and Strontian with Acharacle and Ardnamurchan
Rev Gillian Rooney, Giffnock: Orchardhill
Rev Elsie Macrae, Upper Annandale
Rev Andrea Fraser, Fife: Forthview
Rev Jonny Clipston, Brimmond
Rev Mike Weaver, Dunfermline Gillespie Memorial
Dr Fair described the week away as "wonderful and an absolute joy".
"This was most definitely a week of retreat, rather, that is, than a conference or training session," he explained.
"The only business on the agenda was that of tending to the soul and doing that in the company of fellow-travellers.
"And what better than that that could happen in the quiet, reflective spaces of the centre and in the surrounding countryside, sharing the space with golden eagles, sea eagles, buzzards and the richest variety of flora and fauna.
"The reality is that ministry is demanding, no less so than in these challenging times.
"It can be easy to become caught up in the constant whirl of busyness, to the detriment of one's own wellbeing, not least spiritually speaking.
"On the first night together and responding to the question ‘how is it with your soul?', some of the participants were entirely honest in describing the ways in which their answer was ‘not so well.'"
Dr Fair said time spent in the beautiful and peaceful countryside had a restorative effect.
"By the end of the week we heard some of this – ‘I arrived with my gauge in the x miles to empty zone and left with my heart and soul full' and ‘the Kilmalieu Retreat was blessing for the soul' and ‘it was good to be free from being busy, to do the real work – the inside stuff'," he added.
Nourishment
Dr Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly 2020-21, said the retreat was wrapped up with the singing of the chorus of ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.'
"There is every hope that the retreat will become a fixture in the calendar and that many more will have the opportunity to benefit from the peace and solitude of Kilmalieu and from the taking of time to be inwardly-nourished for the work of ministry," he added.
If you are feeling a call to ministry, the Church's Towards Ministry team is on hand to help and answer any questions you may have.
