Pausing to Connect: Staff Team Building Day 2026

Taking time away from our routine gives us space to recharge. Recently, our team gathered for a Staff Development and Team Building Day, a chance to step back, reconnect, and focus on our little community.

We started the morning with the Southern African greeting Sawubona, which means "I see you". It was a simple way to acknowledge each person in the room.

Next, we transitioned into a quiet reflection called "Prayer with a Stone". Each person held a small stone to represent a busy week, a responsibility, or a concern. With quiet music playing, we placed our stones beside a candle, symbolically setting down those extra weights to focus on being present together.

To focus on what we brought to the team, we gathered around a plant, a reminder that a community needs different inputs to grow. Everyone completed two sentences on a card:

“I believe our community is strongest when…”

“One gift I want to bring to our community this year is…”

We placed the cards around the plant and shared our thoughts, reflecting on the individual strengths everyone brings.

Sr. Ann Marie joined us to speak about Discernment and the Awareness Examen.

She explained that discernment goes beyond common sense, it is about noticing our inner feelings, thoughts, and sense of peace. Sharing her own experience of moving to Calgary, she highlighted how true discernment leads to an inner peace, even when facing big changes.

She guided us through a five-step reflection over our last 24 hours:

Awareness: Becoming mindful of God’s presence with us.

Asking: Praying for openness to the Holy Spirit as we look back.

Gratitude: Identifying the moment, we felt most grateful for.

Reviewing the Day: Walking through the previous 24 hours to see where God was present.

Giving Thanks and Looking Ahead: Closing with a prayer for the rest of the day. Fellowship, Fun, and Daily Reminders

We had a lovely meal together and celebrated August birthdays and work anniversaries.

In the afternoon, we played team-building games. We ended the day by choosing stickers for personal tumblers, a small reminder of the day to take back to our desks.

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