You may be thinking, "Do I really need this in my life?".  Quite simply, if you are asking that question at all, chances are you do need this in your life.  These retreats are a time to REST: Restore, Energize, Strengthen and Transform your relationship with God, your spouse and the church in which you minister.  Below are things to expect as you come away for a time of rest:

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Pastoral Ministry Couples will follow an unstructured agenda with suggestions on how to conduct a personal Sabbath Rest Retreat, along with questions to ponder regarding family, leadership, time management, etc.  There will be seminars and workshops given by leaders and ministers for the strengthening of each pastoral couple.  Although we at REST see this as a time for pastors to enjoy a needed rest, we do see the benefit of meeting together and learning truths that will enable us to be restored and energized as we go back to our community in which we minister.

 

Each Pastoral Ministry Couple will be provided with a guide book to help their Sabbath Rest Retreat experience.  Further, each accommodation will have a Room Box with carefully chosen books, journals and DVD’s to aid in the retreat process.

 

Of importance, Pastoral Ministry Couples have full permission to use this time to simply rest, sleep and reconnect as a couple.  Outside of the workshops, seminars and meal times, there are no real structured activities, enabling you to spend time doing what you feel will benefit you most.

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A fast from cell phone and internet/social media contact is strongly encouraged, thus, providing opportunity to seek the Lord for renewal and direction. We understand that one may have to check in on family and such, but encourage you to keep cell contact and social media contact to a minimum

 

Conversation will be facilitated by the Leadership Team during dinner, ensuring every person is heard and listened to by the group, thus, building community with other Pastoral Ministry Couples.  Further, during the week, the Leadership Team will meet with each Pastoral Ministry Couple once to connect with and pray for them in confidence.

 

Of importance, REST Ministries Canada encourages Pastoral Ministry Couples, when they are together, to focus their conversations with one another on themselves as people, not pastors, and on their relationship and journey with Christ.  Conversations about denomination, theology, church politics, attendance, etc. are strongly discouraged. 

 

Prior to attendance, each participating Pastoral Ministry Couple will have a Prayer Partner assigned to them.  The Prayer Partner’s role is to pray for their specific Pastoral Ministry Couple before, during and after the Sabbath Rest Retreat.

 

Pastoral Ministry Couples will be asked to complete an Exit Evaluation of their time with REST Ministries Canada to give the Leadership Team feedback for future retreats.

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Finally, come expecting God to do glorious and marvelous things in your lives as you rest.  Come expecting to grow your relationships with Christ.  Come expecting to be filled with energy and strength, ideas and truths to go home with.  But most of all, simply come expecting.

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Rest is a weapon given to us by God.  The

enemy hates it because he wants you to 

be stressed and occupied

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Elisabeth Elliott