Regan Neudorf
Director of New Ventures
Pursue Clarity is an annual district retreat hosted in partnership with New Ventures. The retreat is an anchor experience for New Ventures Discerning Apprentices, but is also open to other leaders who are in a season of discovery and discernment, or for those exploring next steps in vocational ministry. This retreat—held in the Burlington and Hamilton area on August 16-18, 2026—was one of three retreats held across the country in The Alliance Canada this past year. Every retreat is a little different, and unique to the district hosting, but every location uses the following questions as a guide:
Who is God calling me to be?
Where and to whom?
What is He asking me to do?
In response to these questions, Central District retreat attendees reflected on what is already clear in each area and were invited to name a fourth question of their own: What are they asking God to bring clarity to during the retreat?
The retreat gave me time to reflect and pray about God’s direction for my life and ministry. It helped confirm my desire to serve and made me think more clearly about where and how God may use me.
~ Hassan "Sammy" Awada,
Gregory Drive Alliance Church
Chatham, ON
Through teachings, biblical case studies, small groups, worship, testimonies, and creative prayer experiences, attendees explored, as Ephesians 2:10 says, how they are "God's handiwork, created in Christ to do good works" and what He is preparing them to do. Group conversations and personal times of reflection were focused on identity, personality, talents, spiritual gifts, and values, and vocation. Now, when we talk about vocation in God's Kingdom, this is more than a job or a career; it's our purpose.
In Rhythms for Life, a book used during the retreat, author Alastair Sterne describes vocation as:
"the way God works in and through each of us, using the gifts he has given us, to bring flourishing to his creation, in all the roles and settings he has placed us in. Simply put, our vocation is our identity uniquely lived out before God."
God used this retreat to show Rupi Romero, a Discerning Apprentice from Brantford, ON, that He has a calling on her life, and that by His Spirit He is inviting her to "grow in ministry and to keep using the gifts that He has given [her]." God not only spoke clearly to Rupi, but also used her to encourage someone else. This was a "first" for her, to receive a word like this and to share the plans God has for another person. In Rupi's words, "it was a great experience!"
We look forward to seeing how God uses this shared experience in the lives of each attendee, as He invites them to go deeper and further with Him, and to multiply disciples everywhere they go. Until then, we invite you to read two more examples of the ways God met with people throughout the retreat:
A new name (or two) for Matt
The entire retreat felt packed full, and I felt the Holy Spirit burning hot throughout the whole experience. Prayer and seeking the Spirit are already a part of my everyday life. I try to consult Him in everything I do, but I’ve learned that when I try to force hearing His voice, it rarely comes in the way or timing I hope it will.
This retreat felt different.
Again and again, when I brought something before the Father, I felt like He answered with unusual clarity. Here are two experiences that especially impacted me.
The first was reflecting on Jacob’s limp. I was reminded that being called and blessed by God does not mean walking away unchanged or in our own strength. Jacob left his encounter with God with a limp. That spoke deeply to me about dependence, surrender, and carrying the evidence of an encounter with God into whatever He calls me to next.
The second was during the White Stone Experience when we were invited to pray over the new name. I expected that I might struggle to hear anything clearly, but rather, the name Issachar came almost immediately. That struck me deeply because God had already been speaking to me through the blessing of Zebulun and Issachar: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth, and, Issachar, in your tents” (Deuteronomy 33:18).
In this text I see two parts of the same calling becoming clearer: to go out and meet people where they are, but also to establish a place where they can come, belong, be loved, hear the gospel, and be discipled. God calling me to be a shepherd and a voice for the least. Someone willing to go after the sheep who are hurting, lost, forgotten, addicted, homeless, or pushed to the margins. I believe He is calling me not only to preach the gospel to them, but to walk with them, care for them, and point them continually toward Jesus. As I consider where and to whom God has placed on my heart, this is where Zebulun has become especially meaningful to me: “in your going forth.” I believe God is calling me to go out to people who may never come into a church on their own. To meet them on the streets and in the places where brokenness actually exists, rather than waiting for them to come to us.
However, I also see Issachar: “in your tents.” There is a growing desire for a place where those same people can come. A place of belonging, discipleship, prayer, worship, teaching, meals, relationship, and ultimately a church community centred on Jesus. So, what is God asking me to do? I believe He is saying: Go out and tend My sheep, and prepare a place for them to come. That is probably the clearest way I can describe what this season of discernment is revealing. Zebulun goes out. Issachar tends the tent. The shepherd does both. Go to the sheep where they are, then help lead them into a place where they can be known, loved, discipled, and learn to follow Jesus themselves.
I left the retreat feeling less like I had figured everything out and more like the Father had met me in my questions and given me confirmation for the journey ahead.
Matt Valade, Gateway Church, Caledonia, ON
Storm is God's masterpiece.
For me, the retreat was really helpful in finding an answer to the question: “Who is God calling me to be?”
After moving to Canada from Korea, I have realized that I have been living with a strong misguiding story. Until recently, I worked at a Taekwondo academy and whenever I would receive good compliments from parents or students, my boss would always say to me, “Be humble. We’re Asian. We’re a minority. We need to be humble and quiet.” And at some point, I also started to tell this to myself, “I’m Asian, so I need to stay quiet. I have an accent, so I need to be careful when I speak.” This led to a lack of confidence and I didn’t have confidence. It was really not good for me, for my relationships, or for my ministry. I almost forgot what my real character was and how to just be myself. However, on one day during the retreat, we went to a beautiful garden and did a prayer walk. There, I saw some beautiful pink flowers, and I asked God, “ Did the same God who created all of this create me? Are You sure?”
Then I remembered our key verse for from the retreat: “For we are God’s handiwork.” But in my NLT Bible, it says, “For we are God’s masterpiece.” At that moment, I felt like the Creator who made everything was telling me that I am His masterpiece. Yes, regardless of our skin colour or race, we are all special because we were created in the image of God. My misguiding story was not the truth of who God was calling me to be. He calls me His masterpiece, His beloved son, and His sanctuary.
God used this retreat to help realign my identity with the truth of who He says I am. And because of this experience, I think I was able to preach a message on the following Sunday feeling more confident in who God has called me to be and more like myself.
Storm Lee, Westburne Alliance Church, St. Catharines, ON
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
