SBTC Church Associate Minister Staff Retreat draws

The SBTC Church Associate Minister Staff Retreat drew about 275 associate ministers and their spouses to Grapevine May 6-8.

The purpose of the event was to provide a setting where ministers of various pastoral support positions could fellowship and share experiences and insights, said Ken Lasater, SBTC Church Ministry Support associate. This included breakout sessions for music ministers, youth ministers, children’s ministers and ministers of education, and a few other church staff positions, Lasater said.

This was the event’s second year. The retreat is open to all support staff members from SBTC churches, and will be held again in early May of 2005.

Out of this year’s retreatcame the formation offellowships in four areas of ministry: music, youth, education and children. These fellowshipshave a dual purpose of providing mutual support in ministry and establishing a mechanism whereby the minister’s own church staff can directly influence on the work of the state convention (as it applies to each specific ministry field).

Also developed during this year’s event was a list of church staff members who have volunteered to assist as a “point person” for SBTC ministries in regional areas of the state.