A Day in the Dominican: Team Retreat 2018

Living Branches

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

Our leadership team sat down several weeks in advance to clarify our goals for the treat and come up with the activities that would help us accomplish those goals.

Goals for our team retreat:

1. Unify our team on our mission, vision, goals and strategy for 2018.
2. Thank the team members, express appreciation for all of their efforts in serving others through this ministry & congratulate people on a job well-done.
3. Evaluate our work as a team & brainstorm ways to improve our ministry in 2017.
4. Spend time together & get to know each other more.
5. Hear ideas and opinions of the whole team.
6. Teach the team a new skill that can help them improve their ministry.
7. Pray and worship together - commit the ministry and 2018 to the Lord once again.

It was really helpful to take the time to evaluate our work in 2017 and discuss ways to improve in 2018. This year two of our team's oldest leaders are going to be traveling to the newest communities every week to support the new leaders in their work with the children.

In our team building activity, the human knot, the team was really stretched. I had never done this activity with such a big group, and it was honestly a bigger challenge than I anticipated! The group persevered until the end. Though some were frustrated and wanted to quit, the team kept going until they accomplished the goal of untangling themselves.

Afterwards we talked about what behaviors were helpful and what behaviors made things more difficult. We also talked about what kept them going when things got tough.

In the end it was a great learning experience for all of us - and a memorable one!

Once again this year, Belkis Gomez led us in a meaningful devotion on Saturday morning.

We also had a service Friday night for the team and some of the people who support the team. We reflected on the year, thanked God for the wonderful things He did through our ministry in 2017, congratulated those who had major individual accomplishments such as graduations, marriages, new baby (Evan), etc.

And, those who completed the discipleship program received a certificate of completion.