Fonderie leaders retreat

This past weekend (Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon) I was away with 9 others on a leaders retreat for La Fonderie, a ministry to artists in Paris and beyond. It was held in a little village southeast of Poitiers in the center of France.

It was good to have time to get to know better the others on the core team. While we meet regularly on Wednesdays for lunch and planning, I had never gotten to spend that much time with everyone before. It is a quality group of creative people whom I enjoyed being around. Of the 9 of us, five were American, one was from New Zealand, one was from Madagascar, and three were from France. One of the French ladies who had planned to go cancelled out at the end because of health difficulties.

It was strange for me not having the kids around. I hadn't realized how much of my thinking and planning revolves around the family. I kept waiting for one of the kids to pop in and need to go to the bathroom. It felt strange not having to help anyone with eating their meal. I even got a nap in during the weekend.

It was nice to get a change of scenery, as we were way out in the middle of nowhere.

My wife got help everyday with the kids, which was a blessing. This came from a German woman on Friday, another woman from Mauritius on Saturday, and two American students on Sunday.

During the retreat, issues like vision and scheduling for the Fonderie and its new center le Pavé d'Orsay were discussed, as well as people's view of church. It seems possible that the ministry of la Fonderie could function like a church. Some people already see it as their faith community.

Hear the family outside the door coming back from the park, so I need to close now for supper.