University Ministries Holds Annual Retreat for Reflection on Purpose, Calling

On February 28-29, University Ministries engaged students in the annual Pathways Retreat. The annual retreat aspires to give students space to reflect on God’s purpose and calling for their lives. Led by Josh Ten-Haken Riedel, assistant director of spiritual development, the retreat took place at Lake Benson Christian Camp. A number of Belmont faculty and staff joined the retreat to lead small group discussion and engage thoughtfully with students.

During the retreat, students worked through a series of three sessions. In each session, Ten-Haken Riedel inspired students with a few prompting words before giving time for individual and group reflection. “Generally, I try to encourage students to think about their calling as more than their work and see it as God’s call to each of us to love one another in all areas of our lives,” he shared. “Then, I break it down into three parts – identity, gifts and community. Each of the three sessions on the retreat is an exploration of these parts and how they relate to our calling.”

Graduating senior Andrew Weaver said, “I really enjoyed this experience, especially in the midst of midterms. It helped me relax and escape the stress that occurs on campus during this time of year. As a senior, it was really great just to spend some time sitting down and reflecting on my identity, gifts and communities I’m involved in. The retreat helped me better understand how I impact the world around me and how to focus on what matters most.”