PRESERVING THE TRUST
First Annual Senior Retreat
Our senior education and staff ministry students are already excited about Call Day, May 18, when they’ll learn where they will begin their ministries. We want to be sure they’re ready—not only for the expected joys and blessings of ministry, but also for the unexpected pressures and challenges that may come. That’s why 97 seniors gathered for an off-campus retreat in August to explore some foundational life skills.
This first annual “Preserving the Trust” retreat was grounded in the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy: “Guard what has been entrusted to your care” (1 Timothy 6:20).
President Rich Gurgel NWC ’81, WLS ’86 explains: “God has poured all these wonderful things into each of us as a trust—foremost of which is the gospel, and then our unique gifts and talents, our relationships with the people surrounding us, and our physical health to carry all of that. Now we want to preserve that trust.”
Dean of Education Ben Clemons MLC ’03 and New Teacher Induction Coordinator Jon Schaefer MLC ’02 assisted the president in organizing the retreat. They explained that what they’ve witnessed over the past several years demonstrates the need for newer called workers to “preserve the trust” by developing stronger resilience in the face of challenges. They’ve seen increased stress, anxiety, and depression among undergraduate MLC students as well as a sharp increase in new teacher resignations due to anxiety and exhaustion.
The retreat, created with the help of generous grants from the Antioch II Foundation and Grace in Action, was set up to proactively address these trends with godly encouragement, tools, and strategies.
So, over a Saturday and Sunday at a comfortable hotel in Bloomington MN, the seniors listened, reflected, and interacted with topics related to maintaining physical health, improving emotional and relational health, discovering and using their unique set of gifts—using CliftonStrengths—and developing a robust personal devotional life
Five presenters got them thinking:
THE POWER OF HABITS
(Understanding the importance of keystone habits)
Presented by Greg Schmill, DMLC ’80, Grace in Action
LIFE MANAGEMENT
(Locking in healthy emotional and physical habits)
Presented by Greg Schmill, Grace in Action
GROWTH IN MINISTRY
(Learning from experiences as first-year called workers)
Presented by Paul Patterson, DMLC ’95,
WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
(Building honest and loving relationships in ministry)
Presented by Dave Gartner, DMLC ’92, West LHS
SPIRITUAL CARE PLAN
(Pondering the Word in personal devotion time)
Presented by Rich Gurgel, NWC ’81, WLS ’86,
Martin Luther College
They also received a full 34 CliftonStrengths Report to help them identify their unique strengths and how they can put them to work in their ministries.
The students left with personal plans—nourishing routines, healthy habits, and positive mindsets—that they could put to use immediately during their upcoming student teaching or staff ministry internships, and then carry with them into their first years of ministry.
Most importantly, they left with the foundational truth that their identity is found in Christ, and only through Christ can they find the strength and resilience that will daily carry them.
To these future teachers and staff ministers standing at the cusp of their ministries, President Gurgel says, “We’ve trained you for ministry. Now we want you to hold onto everything God has invested in you. With these tools and with Jesus’ grace, we want you to preserve the trust.”
