On Saturday, November 8, Children, Youth, and Family Ministry (CYFM) leaders from across the Diocese gathered at St. John’s Anglican Church in Ancaster for what many described as one of the most refreshing and uplifting retreats they had ever attended. Offered each year as a gesture of gratitude to those who minister with families and young people, this year’s retreat, Play Without Ceasing, beautifully wove together laughter, stillness, storytelling, spiritual practice, and shared meals in a way that felt both deeply pastoral and joyfully energizing.
The retreat was led by the Reverend Monica Romig Green, whose background in improvisational play and spiritual formation shaped every aspect of the day. Her thoughtfully prepared materials, rooted in a theology of attentiveness, acceptance, collaboration, and sacred storytelling, invited participants into a gentle rhythm of playful engagement and reflective prayer. Green’s leadership balanced creativity and humour with pastoral sensitivity and theological depth, creating an experience that was both restorative and transformative.
supplies (and even a toaster oven!), ensuring that nothing was overlooked.
The parish hall was arranged to welcome participants into comfort and ease: a bright gathering space, dining tables draped in linens, cozy breakout rooms, and a hallway softened with pillows, camp blankets, and windows overlooking the colourful fall landscape of historic Ancaster. Leaders were encouraged to take the day as they needed, resting quietly, stepping outside, connecting with colleagues, or immersing themselves in the improvisational activities. A generous hospitality table offered fresh fruit, vegetables, snacks, baked treats, coffee, tea, and sparkling water throughout the day. Two delicious meals and a relaxed social hour with wine further expressed the gratitude held for these leaders and their ministry. Great care went into preparing the day, right down to a car packed to the brim with supplies (and even a toaster oven!), ensuring that nothing was overlooked and that everything needed for the full ten-hour day was on hand.
Throughout the retreat, participants embraced the opportunity to care for their own spirits. One person found a quiet spot and drifted into a much-needed nap. Others journaled, coloured mandalas, created prayer beads, explored finger labyrinths, or settled into moments of deep, silent reflection. “I didn’t realize how much I needed this,” one attendee shared. Another reflected on how freeing it felt to be in a room of adults without needing to supervise or plan for others: “It’s rare to have space to learn and play without being in charge.”
The retreat’s theme, Play Without Ceasing, invited leaders to explore improvisational play not as performance but as a spiritual practice grounded in attentiveness, trust, and community. Monica guided groups through imaginative games drawn from European improvisational theatre traditions, introducing concepts such as noticing “offers,” embracing mistakes, accepting and endowing what is given, and allowing creativity to unfold collaboratively, ideas echoed throughout the retreat handbook.
What began as light-hearted fun soon opened into meaningful reflections on ministry and faith. Participants recognized how improv nurtures presence, active listening, and a willingness to trust the unexpected, skills that serve CYFM ministry well in an ever-changing world.
Periods of silence using guided reflection questions invited participants to consider themes of safety in God, receiving and offering grace, discerning invitations from the Spirit, and noticing God’s presence in the unfolding stories of their lives. Monica encouraged leaders to reflect on their own journeys of faith, where God appears as a central character and how God might describe the “next chapter” of their spiritual lives. Many of these exercises, drawn from the retreat handout, framed storytelling as a sacred and communal practice that strengthens the Church.
Beyond the rich program content, the retreat provided a rare chance for CYFM leaders, some newly stepping into ministry, others long seasoned, to connect deeply with one another. Conversations throughout the day explored the joys and challenges of family ministry, the evolving experiences of young people in our communities, and the shared longing for creativity, imagination, and collective wisdom.
One participant expressed how refreshing it was to share openly with colleagues who “get it”, those who know the pressures, the tender moments, and the sacred work of walking alongside children and families in faith.
The retreat concluded with a Eucharist that brought the day’s themes together in worship. Monica presided, drawing on gifts of play, acceptance, creativity, sacred storytelling, and God’s ever-present invitations. The participatory liturgy gathered the essence of the day, offering a worship experience that was joyful, grounded, and deeply moving
On behalf of the Diocese, heartfelt thanks go to all who participated, St. John’s Ancaster for hosting us, and most especially to the Reverend Monica Romig Green for her insightful and spiritually grounded leadership. As CYFM ministry continues to evolve, gatherings like this remain essential: creating space for leaders to reconnect with God, with one another, and with the joy and playfulness at the heart of Christian life.
May we all learn to “play without ceasing,” trusting that through openness, collaboration, and attentiveness, we participate in God’s unfolding story of love for the world.
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