By Barbara Dahlgren
By Barbara Dahlgren
ONTARIO, California—“It was a time of refreshing and restoring. Something we all need.” These comments by Raul Ramos, pastor of the Pasadena Spanish church, seemed to capture the feeling of those who attended the March 12 to 14 Church Pastors and Wives Retreat sponsored by Connecting and Bonding, Inc.
Connecting and Bonding, a ministry devoted to nurturing pastors’ wives, has been sponsoring ministers’ wives conferences for several years. Founder Jannice May is a veteran pastor’s wife with more than 30 years experience.
She felt a passion for this ministry when women new to pastoral service kept asking for guidance. Jannice said, “I know from firsthand experience the stress and responsibility that sometimes accompanies the joy of leading the people of God.” So Connecting and Bonding was born.
For the past six years, ministers’ wives have been sharing stories and lessons with each other (connecting) and supporting (bonding) one another.
But often the women would say, “This is wonderful, but when is there going to be something like this for our husbands?” “We want our husbands to have time to be refreshed and get their spiritual batteries recharged too.” The result was the first Connecting and Bonding Church Pastors and Wives Retreat. The main focus this time was on the pastor.
Each day a short worship service was led by Dennis and Lorraine Pelley, who serve New Hope Christian Fellowship, the WCG congregation in Eagle Rock, California.
Couples heard from Keith Phillips, president of World Impact, a Christian missions organization dedicated to ministering God’s love to the inner cities of America. Dr. Phillips, author of Out of Ashes, The Making of a Disciple and No Quick Fix, gave insight into the differences between missions and evangelism in his presentation on “Ye Shall Be Witnesses.”
Other presenters were Archibald Hart and his wife, Kathleen. Dr. Hart, retired professor of psychology and former dean of the Graduate School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, specializes in the area of emotional hazards of the ministry.
Mrs. Hart is chaplain to student wives at Fuller Seminary. For the past 35 years, the Harts have spoken to ministry couples. The overall theme was “Finishing Well.” One aspect of that was a session on the theology of loss. Tom Ecker, who pastors in Moreno Valley, San Bernardino, and Beaumont, California, said: “I felt the theology of loss was especially helpful. We have all had so many losses in our lives.”
On the first evening everyone drew a name from a basket and was given the assignment to pray specifically for this person at the retreat. The name of this prayer partner was revealed during a sharing time on the last day.
Another highlight of the weekend was when all the pastors gathered in a circle with the wives surrounding them. As the women laid hands on them, Beth Holm, wife of pastor Rand Holm from Ventura, California, offered a moving prayer for the men.
This was followed by a prayer of thanksgiving given by Mike Swagerty for all the sacrifices the pastors’ wives have made through the years. Mike pastors the Sacramento, California, congregation.
The participants enjoyed plenty of time for fellowship and open discussion. The retreat ended with a communion service Sunday at noon, followed by a talk on marriage and a final prayer by Mrs. Hart.
PASTORS AND WIVES—From
left:
Mike and Sandy Swagerty, Stephen
and Karon Smith and Mel and Barbara
Dahlgren. [Photo by Curtis May]
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2004