Pastor's Sabbath Retreat
Laity Lodge, February 8-11, 2009

Laity Lodge is pleased to announce our first Pastors' Sabbath Retreat. The purpose of this retreat is to provide an opportunity for pastors and other chuch staff members to experience rest and renewal. The Laity Lodge retreat schedule always allows plenty of time for relaxation, reflection, and recreation. The Pastors' Sabbath retreat will have plenty of "down time," with a pace that's meant to encourage deep, restoring rest.

The speaker for this retreat be Dr. Rod Wilson, a pastor, psychologist, professor, and now President of Regent College in Vancouver. Rod, who knows what it’s like to be in the trenches of church ministry, will focus on the theme: “Pastoral Depletion and Replenishment: The Struggle with Sabbath.” Here’s how he describes the focus of his teaching:

In some places they call it burnout.  Others refer to it as compassion fatigue.  Those of us who have been in pastoral ministry understand it all too well.  As we seek to serve the triune God we have to deal with the reality that we live in the space between depletion and replenishment with a heart yearning for Sabbath rest.  Both the teaching and atmosphere of this retreat will be used by God to help you reflect on these issues and better prepare you for the years of ministry that lie ahead of you.

Joining Rod at Laity Lodge will be songwriter and musician, Jeff Johnson. Jeff’s music and worship leadership will invite us into a deeper experience of God’s love and grace. For more information about Jeff and his music, check out his website.

The Pastors' Sabbath Retreat will be hosted by Mark Roberts, Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge. A parish pastor for 23 years, Mark embraces Laity Lodge's passion for encouraging and supporting pastors and others who work in churches. For more information about Mark, you can visit his website. He is the author of the Daily Reflections that appear on TheHighCalling.org website and are emailed to thousands of people each day.

As always, this Laity Lodge retreat will have food that delights the palate, friends old and new, and the unmatched quiet beauty of Laity Lodge. There are ample opportunities for recreation, including: hiking, jogging, boating, tennis, swimming, and mountain biking.

For more information about Laity Lodge and the Pastors' Sabbath Retreat, visit our website, or contact our Registrar, Ann Jack (AnnJack@laitylodge.org; 830-792-1230). Click here to register!