Connections Archive

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer

Collegiality and community are key words for organisers of a retreat for theology staff members, students and their spouses.

More than 40 attended the retreat, organised by Faculty of Theology staff and student association FIG Tree and held at Crosslands Youth and Convention Centre in Galston this past weekend (October 17-18).

Steve Piez spoke at the retreat. He is director of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries, which is one of the church's fastest growing ministries. "We wanted to focus on practical, on-the-ground-type ministry, and it's good to hear what's going on in your home country," says FIG Tree president Jody Donovan.

It is also good for staff members, students and their spouses to meet outside of the classroom. "You see a different, less formal side to your lecturers," says Jody, "not I'm-your-lecturer-and-I'm-going-to-be-marking-you, but I'm-your-friend-and-I'll-be-here-for-you-in-the-future. I felt supported."

And that is the aim of the retreat. "Ministry can be lonely, and ministers can be competitive and even remote," says Dr Lyell Heise, a senior lecturer in theology and one of FIG Tree's faculty sponsors. "So, before our students enter the ministry, we want to model a nurturing community among colleagues."

Caption: Final-year theology student Misty Pearce (left) meets Rachel Vera, Enekitti Ulia and Natalie Souradeth, all spouses of other students, at the FIG Tree retreat.
Credit: Carlos Vera