WHAT HAPPENED AT THE MEN'S RETREAT?

​Thirty-nine men, including Bethel members and their friends, boarded a bus to Nordegg last Friday to spend the weekend at Frontier Lodge in the Rockies. They biked, hiked, rappelled, and canoed. They enjoyed campfires, heard talks, and entered into discussions. Here, according to Men's Retreat planning team, are some of the good things that happened on the weekend:
 
     Men ranging in age from the 20's to the 70's were mixing together.
     The talks were handled “in house”—no high powered guest speaker was flown in—and the                   feedback was good.  The talks seemed to generate some positive thoughts and discussion.          Worship was added this year--also led by Bethel members. 
     Many men connected with other men from Bethel on a deeper level than before.
     Many of the men who came have only recently joined Bethel.  They made new connections.  We           hope they made some new friends.
     An unchurched friend attended.  He gained a new and positive view of Christians and the                       Christian faith.
 
A few other tidbits:
     The men slept in brand new cabins this year.  While this was a relief from the more rickety                     cabins of last year, it didn’t stop the snoring.  On order for next year are cones of silence.
     Darrell Vandenbrink won 4 out of 5 of the Bump (basketball) games.  Those who know this                     game will be reminded that you need to line up behind Darrell, next time, not in front of him.
 
Greg says of the retreat: “It was a fantastic way to build community in a way that coffee after church just isn't able to do.  God was present and speaking into the hearts of Men all weekend through his creation and Word.”
 
                                                                                                              —Pastor Tom

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