Curling, snowshoeing, board games, an art gallery visit—these were some of the activities Christian Reformed pastors in the Ottawa, Ontario, area enjoyed this past winter and spring.
The unconventional gatherings were funded by a grant from the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program. Spurred on by the book The Fully Alive Preacher, the pastors were keen to be rejuvenated and to prevent burnout.
Rev. Winston Visser, pastor of Athens (Ont.) CRC, said, “It was good to get to know [each other] in another setting.” They learned who among them loves art, who is a competitive board-game player, and who “rocks” at curling.
Rev. Jacob Boer of First CRC in Montreal said he was reminded of “how important it is to feed the part of our soul created to have fun and to fellowship with others.”
Rev. Daryl Meijer, pastor of Barrhaven Fellowship CRC in Nepean, Ontario, organized the outings. “I think we all had fun. . . .
I made sure to schedule a great lunch just in case!”
