Family Retreats

Speaker: Chuck and Ingrid Davis

In the morning, we will use Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to explore notions of identity, purpose, and empowerment for life. Application will be made to our personal lives and the life of our families. Each evening we will explore ways to put these discoveries into practice in our every day.

BIO: Chuck and Ingrid Davis have been married for 40 years. They have 3 adult children and 3 rambunctious grandsons. They have led their family on mission, serving as pastors in the United States and France, missionaries in Mali (West Africa), seminary professors and now as international leadership coaches. They have spent many years coming to Barnabas as Executive Partners and Coaches to Arrow Leadership.

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*NEW* Barnabas Summer 2023 Cost Estimator – click to download

REGISTER TODAY

Speaker: Ben and Emma Narayanan

Ben and Emma have been married for 13 years and have three children: Levi, Alice, & Eden. After hearing the clear call of God to plant a life-giving church in Vancouver, they moved in 2017 from Canberra, Australia, to pioneer this new work. Four and a half years on, they have seen God establish His church miraculously with three campuses in Squamish, North Vancouver and Surrey.

Ben and Emma love developing leaders and are passionate about calling the people of God to live a life of miraculous faith and powerful freedom. Their hope for you over this retreat is that you would be encouraged to believe again in the God of miracles and be empowered to live a life of faith and freedom through encountering His presence.

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*NEW* Barnabas Summer 2023 Cost Estimator – click to download

REGISTER TODAY

Speaker: Milissa and Jay Ewing

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*NEW* Barnabas Summer 2023 Cost Estimator – click to download

REGISTER TODAY

Speaker: Tim Mackie

Perhaps you’re someone who desires a deeper sense of God’s presence in your life, but don’t feel like you know how to take the next step. What does it even mean to say that God is “with me” or that God speaks to us? Throughout the week we will meditate on a number of biblical themes that explore the availability of God’s presence in our daily lives and activities.

• The relationship of heaven and earth
• The garden of Eden and the location of Paradise
• The significance and symbolism of Israel’s temple
• The meaning of mountains and high places in the Bible
• The presence and person of God’s Spirit in creation

Our hope is that each of us walks away with a greater understanding and experience God’s presence as we return to our normal lives.

Tim is married to Jessica. They have two little boys, and live in Portland, Oregon.

Tim is an adjunct professor of biblical studies at Western Seminary and a creative writer for BibleProject. He’s been fascinated with Jesus and his Jewish heritage ever since he became a Christian at 20 years old. Tim discovered the wonderful world of biblical studies and languages at Multnomah University and Western Seminary, and he had the privilege of doing a PhD in Hebrew and Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tim’s greatest passion is to help people grasp the beautiful and compelling story of the ancient Scriptures and how they lead us to Jesus of Nazareth.

*UPDATE* Summer Week 4 is now fully booked. Please contact the office to be added to a waitlist for Week 4. There is space on other Summer Family weeks.

Speakers: Tim and Sarah MacIntosh

Tim and Sarah met 35 years ago, resulting in marriage and four kids. They’ve spent years living and ministering in local churches, shaping the fellowship and being shaped by it.

Feasting has been a significant part, both in church and family – so good! Jesus embraced this tradition of the Old Testament and radically extended it, communicating God’s heart and purposes.

Tim retired in Dec 2021 from pastoral ministry, but continues to preach regularly, write, and run an AirBNB. Sarah is a Barnabas Board Member and works as an Academic Coach in the Learning Commons at Trinity Western University, helping students grow in life and studies. They live in Abbotsford, BC.

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*NEW* Barnabas Summer 2023 Cost Estimator – click to download

*UPDATE* Summer Week 5 is now fully booked. Please contact the office to be added to a waitlist for Week 5.

Speakers: Randy and Hannah Hamm

Theme: ‘Practicing Hospitality; it’s not (just) about pie’

Randy and Hannah spent 19 years loving folks in Vancouver where they learned to love Barnabas family ministries. They volunteered at Barnabas in summer 2022. For the last five years they have been living in Vernon, BC.

Randy pastors a mid-sized church, alongside Hannah, who is also a part time elementary school music teacher. They have 3 teenagers who also adore Barnabas.

*UPDATE* Summer Week 6 is now fully booked. Please contact the office to be added to a waitlist for Week 6. There is space on other Summer Family weeks.

Speakers: Mark and Carolyn Arends, Spencer Capier

Carolyn is currently the Director of Education for Renovaré, a far-reaching organization that encourages and nurtures spiritual renewal. She has written and released 12 albums and is the author of 3 books. In addition to her busy touring and speaking schedule, she has been a regular columnist for Christianity Today and Faith Today, and an adjunct professor at Regent College, ACTS Seminary, and TWU.
Mark is a high school counsellor and coach with a Masters in narrative therapy. Mark and Carolyn live in Surrey, BC with their two young adult children, Ben and Beth.

Spencer Capier is a multi-instrumentalist and music producer.  He has worked with several recording artists, most notably with Carolyn Arends, but also with Brian Doerksen, and Jennifer Knapp.  He has also worked with Pacific Theatre as a performer and Music Director.  He currently teaches Philosophy, History and Critical Thinking at a high school in West Vancouver while still pursuing many other musical and artistic endeavours.   His music can be heard on CBC and other public radio stations around the world.  One of his greatest loves is playing waltz music on his fiddle for fellow campers at Barnabas Family Ministries.

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*UPDATE* Summer Week 7 is now fully booked. Please contact the office to be added to a waitlist for Week 7. There is space on other Summer Family weeks.

Speakers: Ric and Ruth-Anne Gilbertson

During this week you will be invited to review the current state of your life.  Through a series of interactive exercises, we will walk with Jesus and discover afresh his invitation in Matthew 11 to “learn the unforced rhythms of grace“. 

Each session will focus on a different area of our life along with some exercises “to walk with Jesus and work with Jesus.”  We pray that the outflow of this week will be a renewed sense of how rhythms of rest, renewal, and play will help you walk with Jesus into a new season.

Ric and Ruth-Anne Gilbertson live in Kelowna B.C.  Ric serves at Mission Creek Alliance church as Senior Associate pastor.  Ruth-Anne is a spiritual director. They served as Adult Hosts at Barnabas in Summer 2022.

The Gilbertsons have served in various roles over the years: 15 years as International workers in Venezuela, leadership in the mission, and two churches in Alberta.  They share a passion for spiritual formation and walking with people as they discover and deepen in their relationship with Jesus.

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*UPDATE* Summer Week 8 is now fully booked. Please contact the office to be added to a waitlist for Week 8. There is space on other Summer Family weeks.

Speakers: Durwin and Angel Gray

Unhurried: We live in a culture of hurry and distraction, which seems to lead to an experience of greater stress and anxiety in our lives and families. We will wrestle practically with these issues, and explore the kind of life-giving biblical practices that might lead to a slowed down spirituality and a flourishing for our lives, our marriages, and our families.

Durwin and Angel are long-time Barnabas fans, having been guests, speakers, or friends of Barnabas for 20 years. They were university sweethearts and have been married now for 30 years. Their two young adult sons, Caleb and Noah, are well known at Barnabas, and they help make the Gray household a little on the loud side. The Grays are a pretty tight- knit family who tend to love films, road trips, and the band Coldplay. Thirty years ago, Angel and Durwin got involved in church planting, and helped plant the church Durwin now pastors, called Hillside Church in Coquitlam. Angel runs her own accounting business and has a passion for mentoring and teaching. 

Please note: the dates for Summer family weeks in 2023 have changed. To find out more, please read our Summer 2023 date change rationale.

*UPDATE* Summer Week 9 is now fully booked. Please contact the office to be added to a waitlist for Week 9. There is space on other Summer Family weeks.

Our Dad/Child retreat is an awesome opportunity for Dads and their kids! Enjoy a weekend packed with great food, a dynamic program and lots of space to enjoy time together.

Our speaker, Brett Donald, is currently the founder and equipping pastor of CityLights, a church collective based in Burnaby B.C and an adjunct instructor at Pacific Life Bible College. He is a husband, dad to two kids, and enjoys paddleboarding, spike ball, and a good pour-over coffee. Previously, Brett served as a youth pastor in both Kelowna and Langley.

The theme for the retreat is Fathering and Formation. As fathers, we want our kids to flourish and live their best life but what’s our framework for what this means and how can we intentionally participate with Jesus in the formation of our kids? We will have fun with teaching and breakouts to encourage and inspire both dads and their kids in the ways of Jesus.

Speaker: Brett Donald

Cost (based on 2 people sharing):

• Room: $540 per pair
• Additional Children: $170/child
• Tenting: $349 per pair

Please note: this retreat is only suitable for children aged 8 to 16.

REGISTER NOW

Our Mom/Child retreat is an awesome opportunity for Moms and their kids! Enjoy a weekend packed with great food, a dynamic program and lots of space to enjoy time together.

You and your child are invited to a weekend away, to be reminded that Christ makes his home in us! Throughout our worship, reflections, and family challenges we’ll be encouraged to be rooted in Christ’s LOVE, to rest in PLAY, and to remain in his RICHES!

Speaker: Aisling Zweigle

Aisling (pronounced “Ashling”) is passionate about helping people of all ages know they were made on purpose for God’s good purposes. Aisling serves as Family Life Pastor in Vancouver for Tenth Church.

She’s helped ministry leaders walk alongside at-risk kids, foster and adoptive families, and families in recovery in the US and Canada.

Cost (based on 2 people sharing):

• Room: $540 per pair
• Additional Children: $170/child

Please note: this retreat is only suitable for children aged 8 to 16.

REGISTER NOW

Escape the pre-Christmas rush and rediscover the wonder of the Christmas story over a cozy weekend at Barnabas.

There will be a special program for all children.

Our adult speaker is Daniel Whitehead, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries.

Cost:

• $300/adult
• $240/child (infants 0 – 2 are free)
• Optional: upgrade to one of our new Station rooms: $100 supplement per room

Register Now