LXVI: Retreat Reflections

It's a little late coming, but I wanted to share some reflections from the 2010 NCC Leadership retreat. Some favorite moments:

• Finding a brown banana on my desk (this is a long-running joke between Team D and the A Team)
• Midnight discussions about whether or not we should write "DRAFT" as text or background on the Bible Reading Plan (the things you get concerned about at midnight)
• Groove Lounge Promo- wow. Eye liner. Silver fingernail polish. Blue spiked hair. John Hasler. And people still went to the Groove Lounge.
  
• Amanda Giobbi's "interview" with Mark Batterson.
• John Hasler's book title suggestions for Pastor Joel.
• Sacred Roads Route 66 spoof video (after years of making fun of people from the stage at leadership retreat, I should have known someone would be gunning for me some day...little did I know it would be the entire staff!)
• Listing to Pastor Mark talk about vision and kneeling with 200 leaders to thank God for vision and provision.
• Telling the Story of God, from Garden to City.
• Watching Jeremy Sexton and Matt Ortiz and the production guys work magic to get our equipment back.
• Watching our worship band lead with passion...both plugged and unplugged.
  
• Praying with leaders to commission them for the coming year.
  
• Reading Andy Pisciotti's newspaper masterpiece.
• Getting snowed in and laughing until I hurt with some great leaders-- new and old.
  
• Watching Jonathan Shradar and Amanda Giobbi doing their emcee thing.
  

I'm so thankful for our A Team- Dasha and Maegan- who did so much they must have had clones running around. And I'm thankful for our incredible Proteges who worked long hours to add awesome creative elements. I love the heart of our worship team and the sacrifice of our media and production teams. And I guess I've gotta be thankful for Chris Howell and John Hasler-- my Team D boys. It's so great to do life and ministry with such an awesome team!