queenswood 2000-present
A Legacy Is Born
The Queenswood mission is "to facilitate a deepening of one's relationship with oneself, the Divine, others and the universe."
Queenswood has offered retreats since its inception in the mid-1960s and over the years, the Sisters of St. Ann (SSA) developed it into a thriving retreat centre. Like other retreat centres run by religious orders, it charged very little for programs as it was subsidized by an anual operating grant from the Sisters.
Over the past twenty years, Queenswood began providing space for local service agencies and educational groups to rent meeting rooms not needed for Queenswood programs. This service was greatly appreciated and led to long-term relationships with many organizations serving social needs in Victoria. Over the years, the public increasingly attended Reiki workshops, lectures, and inspirational concerts at Queenswood. Sharing the 14-acre property with a retirement home for Sisters of St. Ann has created many daily connections with the SSA, some of whom volunteer in administration, gardening, hospitality, or program leadership at Queenswood. Queenswood staff and guests enjoy supportive personal friendships with these warm and kindly neighbours.
Readying for change
In 2004, the SSA established Queenswood legally as a not-for-profit organization in anticipation of a time when Sisters would no longer be available to provide leadership there. This action was taken in the hope that Queenswood might be able to continue into the future as a legacy of the Sisters of St. Ann.
The Sisters retained ownership of the Queenswood Society by naming the SSA Provincial Council as the Members of the Society, but by becoming a not-for-profit society, room was created for other supporters to have a larger role in managing Queenswood.
In 2007, the Sisters began the next steps of a transition process by appointing a governing board of long-time supporters and people with expertise in business, public service and local government. As its first task, the new board was asked to research the potential of Queenswood to become self-sustaining financially, without an annual operating grant from the SSA. At the end of 2007, the board reported to the SSA that self-sustainability was possible, but that significant changes would be necessary.
The Sisters asked the board to take on a three-year mandate to enact the changes necessary to transform Queenswood into a self-sustaining nonprofit retreat centre. As a further step in the process of helping Queenswood function as a distinct organization, the SSA gave the Queenswood Society a three-year license agreement for use of the facility and grounds, in the hope that it could continue beyond 2010 without an annual grant from the SSA.
Planning for a future
In January 2008, the board hired Queenswood's first Executive Director, Kate Fagan Taylor, MDiv, whose experience included interfaith ministry, university administration and government strategic planning. Queenswood's strategic planning process was initated one month later. In this consultative planning process, the broader community of Queenswood, its neighbours and the public were invited to discern its calling to address significant social and spiritual needs. The goal: to create a sustainable new model of a retreat centre which would be truly relevant to the needs of the local and global population. Hundreds of submissions and three public meetings allowed the board and staff to hear a range of possibilities and discern a strategic focus for the next three years.
Queenswood's new strategic goals
The strategic planning process re-affirmed Queenswood as a community of seekers who feel gratitude for the ways that their own experiences of faith have enriched their lives. Queenswood had already for many years been ecumenical in its programming. Now, this community discerned a calling to reach out in the generous, welcoming spirit of the Sisters of St. Ann and expand its definition of minstry yet again to serve a more spiritually and culturally diverse range of people, "meeting seekers where they're at."
The strategic planning process clarified Queenswood's identity. It was decided that as a retreat centre, Queenswood is well equipped to serve a particular social and spiritual need. Therefore, everything Queenswood offers should provide an experience of retreat or sanctuary, an immersion in an environment where a new perspective on life becomes possible. Queenswood's programs focus on residential retreats, but newly created drop-in classes as well as the pool, library, and evening series provide more flexibile options for guests to experience the inspiration and renewal of Queenswood.
In particular, the crisis of burnout among helping professionals, ministers and other caregivers was identified as a need that Queenswood was uniquely able to address. Queenswood already had a well-established range of holistic resources to offer in support of spiritual, physical and emotional wellness. These included program leaders who integrated spiritual and psychological methods of healing and personal growth, onsite meditation groups and spiritual directors, an extensive library of spirituality and personal growth resources, and a very popular Christian Reiki healing ministry. Therefore, another strategic goal emerged: to become an international destination for the renewal for those whose life passion is to serve others in education, healthcare, social work, and other caregiving.
In support of that renewed program focus, Queenswood re-committed itself to provide both practical support, encouragement and affirmation for community groups who serve those most in need. Queenswood also expanded its rental program and provided discounts to nonprofits and social agencies, so that they could make use of our facility for meetings, training and planning retreats.
The transformation process
The goals of the three-year strategic plan have guided Queenswood's transformation into a sustainable not-for-profit, mission-based business. Two years later, Queenswood has developed many new capacities, and is seeing expected results in terms of revenue growth and mission impact. We're now much better known in the Victoria community, reaching a more diverse range of guests, and are hearing enthusiastic feedback from people in helping professions who need our services.
By increasing bursaries, Queenswood programs have remained accessible to lower-income guests even though fees now reflect more of the actual cost of our programs. While all the necessary changes included some growing pains, the board and staff have been uplifted by many signs of new life and divine grace throughout this process.
Looking ahead with hope
Queenswood is on track to achieve the mandate of creating a sustainable long-term future for Queenswood as a legacy of the Sisters of St. Ann, with the University of Victoria as our new landlord as of 2011. Negotiations are underway to work out the details of this relationship. Our supporters can keep updated at www.queenswoodvictoria.ca/support.
