This year a group of youth leaders from the Nelson Diocese travelled to Living Springs in Canterbury for The Abbey 2026. With the theme "Breathe", the weekend invited leaders to slow down, reconnect with God, and be equipped for sustainable ministry.
After the weekend, I caught up with a few of our crew to hear what stood out.
Marzi van der Mark: The keynote talks were definitely a highlight. They all connected really well, reminding us that ministry starts with our relationship with God, that healthy ministry requires sustainable rhythms, and that while we're called to faithfully do the work, it's also okay to ask God for miracles. I also loved connecting with youth leaders from around the country. Living Springs was such a beautiful location and really captured the spirit of the theme, with peaceful surroundings, birdsong and incredible views.
Will Poil: I really enjoyed the workshops, especially those on evangelism, burnout, and hearing from a Palestinian Christian perspective. There was a strong emphasis on longevity in ministry, which really resonated with me. Outside the sessions, I loved the North versus South football game and simply waking up to the birds each morning. Living Springs was an amazing place to spend the weekend.
Levi Petterson: My biggest highlight was being surrounded by other young people who are passionate about growing closer to Jesus. The worship, keynote talks and workshops were all really valuable, and it was encouraging to spend time with people who share the same heart for youth ministry.
Will: The burnout workshop gave me some really practical tools for looking after myself and helping ministry remain sustainable over the long term. I came away with some reflection questions that I'll keep using to regularly check how I'm doing and make sure I'm serving from a healthy place.
Marzi: I was reminded that while we're called to serve faithfully and wisely, we're also invited to trust God to do miraculous things. That balance between being faithful in the everyday and remaining expectant really stayed with me.
Levi: Jethro Day's workshop on evangelism really challenged and encouraged me. It gave me more confidence to share my faith and reminded me that evangelism can be something genuine, relational and centred on Jesus.
Marzi: My workshop was called The Lost Art of Stillness. We explored what it means to simply be still before God and then spent time practising silence together. It was encouraging to see how people responded, and I loved being able to share some practical resources that people could take home and use in their own spiritual lives.
Levi: I'd recommend anyone to go. If you're on the fence, it's a really valuable experience. I learnt a lot, met some great people, and came home encouraged in my faith.
Marzi: It's a great opportunity to step away from the busyness of ministry, connect with God, learn from experienced leaders, and build relationships with others who understand the joys and challenges of youth ministry.
Will: It was such a refreshing weekend. I came home encouraged, challenged and with practical tools that I'll be able to apply in my own ministry.
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We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
This year a group of youth leaders from the Nelson Diocese travelled to Living Springs in Canterbury for The Abbey 2026. With the theme "Breathe", the weekend invited leaders to slow down, reconnect with God, and be equipped for sustainable ministry.
After the weekend, I caught up with a few of our crew to hear what stood out.
Marzi van der Mark: The keynote talks were definitely a highlight. They all connected really well, reminding us that ministry starts with our relationship with God, that healthy ministry requires sustainable rhythms, and that while we're called to faithfully do the work, it's also okay to ask God for miracles. I also loved connecting with youth leaders from around the country. Living Springs was such a beautiful location and really captured the spirit of the theme, with peaceful surroundings, birdsong and incredible views.
Will Poil: I really enjoyed the workshops, especially those on evangelism, burnout, and hearing from a Palestinian Christian perspective. There was a strong emphasis on longevity in ministry, which really resonated with me. Outside the sessions, I loved the North versus South football game and simply waking up to the birds each morning. Living Springs was an amazing place to spend the weekend.
Levi Petterson: My biggest highlight was being surrounded by other young people who are passionate about growing closer to Jesus. The worship, keynote talks and workshops were all really valuable, and it was encouraging to spend time with people who share the same heart for youth ministry.
Will: The burnout workshop gave me some really practical tools for looking after myself and helping ministry remain sustainable over the long term. I came away with some reflection questions that I'll keep using to regularly check how I'm doing and make sure I'm serving from a healthy place.
Marzi: I was reminded that while we're called to serve faithfully and wisely, we're also invited to trust God to do miraculous things. That balance between being faithful in the everyday and remaining expectant really stayed with me.
Levi: Jethro Day's workshop on evangelism really challenged and encouraged me. It gave me more confidence to share my faith and reminded me that evangelism can be something genuine, relational and centred on Jesus.
Marzi: My workshop was called The Lost Art of Stillness. We explored what it means to simply be still before God and then spent time practising silence together. It was encouraging to see how people responded, and I loved being able to share some practical resources that people could take home and use in their own spiritual lives.
Levi: I'd recommend anyone to go. If you're on the fence, it's a really valuable experience. I learnt a lot, met some great people, and came home encouraged in my faith.
Marzi: It's a great opportunity to step away from the busyness of ministry, connect with God, learn from experienced leaders, and build relationships with others who understand the joys and challenges of youth ministry.
Will: It was such a refreshing weekend. I came home encouraged, challenged and with practical tools that I'll be able to apply in my own ministry.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
