"What is it to rest from work and to work from rest?", that was a question put to a group of church administrators at an overnight retreat held at Forest Lakes Camp on 8-9 November.

The question prompted us to reflect on what it means to have a sabbath rhythm, and what God might be saying to each of us in relation to our own approaches to working and resting.

Led by Paul Carey and Hazel Nugent from the Anglican Centre, the retreat had a focus on Covenant: Our relationship with God and with each other. It was also an opportunity for administrators who had only spoken on the phone or met over Zoom to build connections face-to-face in a relaxed setting.

Maria Viljoen, Parish and Facilities Manager of St Matthew's Masterton, said she appreciated how the weekend had tapped into a deeper level of spirituality than she was expecting. "It just gave me pause for thought," she said.

"There was a broad spectrum of people, and a good level of trust from the start."

The weekend consisted of four sessions, with some free time on the Saturday afternoon. A few participants opted to go on a 45-minute walk 'around the lake' together, only to have the track disappear (some might describe this as getting lost) and needing to call for help. Thankfully, with the aid of GPS and two members of the group coming to the rescue, they rejoined the group two and a half hours later with muddy sneakers and a story to share!

It all contributed to a great weekend with lots of laughs and a deeper connection between administrators, whose roles often involve them working on their own in church offices.

Parish Operations Manager for Oroua Anglicans, Sharon Te Whatu, said she enjoyed putting faces to names and building connections over the weekend.

"I feel quite isolated here sometimes, and [find myself] wanting to be able to say 'what do I do in this situation?'."

Sharon said she was much more likely to reach out to the other administrators with her questions now that she'd gotten to know them better.

The overnight retreat was open to anyone who had participated in a Godly Administration Discipleship Group.  Any church administrators interested in joining a Godly Administration Discipleship Group in 2025 can contact Paul (paul@anglicanmovement.nz) or Hazel (hazel@anglicanmovement.nz).