Momentum

I'm just getting back this afternoon from a two-day "Momentum" retreat. It's a great chance to spend time with colleagues talking about ministry and life and sharing ideas and stories. Because we all have so much in common, the connections form quickly. Because we've share a lot over the last two years, the bond is extremely strong. It's what you might call a "high trust" environment.

This particular Momentum event was held at a beautiful Jesuit retreat center outside of town. One of their brothers had died a few days earlier, so his body laid in state in the chapel while we met next door. I must say that the presence of death in the midst of our retreat was not unpleasant, several of us were quite moved by the situation. He was of ripe years--in his 90's I'm told--and none of the mourners seemed particularly distressed that God had chosen this moment to take him home.

Sister Anitra from SSJD (an Anglican Order of nuns with a convent here in Toronto) joined the third-year Momentum folks to help us debrief our last positions. Most of us are just starting our new ministries after having been Curates. My situation as an Associate was a bit different, and yet so much the same that the differences haven't been very important. I liked Anitra. She's got that monastic spiritual sensibility that is both completely down to earth and yet also deeply, deeply wise.

Now I'm back and doing a bunch of church stuff before a dinner tonight at on the the seminaries. Got to run.

-t