I've been struggling with whether I need to write this article or not, whether to answer questions that may or may-not-be out there amongst you. But as I want to be transparent I decided it's always best to let you know what is going on in my mind.
I'm about to head out on a period of rest commonly referred to as a sabbatical from August through October. The Protestant Work Ethic in me feels guilty because few professions are allotted this privilege. And sometimes the privilege is granted begrudgingly. I am so thankful for your grace to grant me this time for renewal.
The best example that I'm able to articulate is to liken clergy sabbatical to that of a teacher's need for summer break. It takes a great deal of mental, emotional, and physical fortitude to be a teacher dealing with children, parents, and administrators. Few people would say that teachers do not deserve (nae need) the summer break. In some kind of parallel, clergy need a break like this every several years. We carry a great deal of emotional and physical concern for our people and the constant responsibility of being on call is a heavy burden. Without hesitation I can say that I do need this time of rest.
From the bottom of my heart I am so grateful to St. Peter's for allowing me this privilege. My expectations is that I will return refreshed and prepared to renew our upward-moving-spirit that was hijacked by mold remediation and the pandemic going back to 2019. We've accomplished some amazing work in this short amount of time. Having put our physical house in better order we will need to make new strides in bringing people home to St. Peter's. We need to pray about how to do that.
During this time I will be on spiritual pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela which is the historical burial place of St. James the Great one of the two sons of Zebedee. He was the first apostle to be martyred and was a pillar of the church in Jerusalem during the initial persecutions. I'll be cycling the 500 mile traditional route to his burial place between St. Jean Pied du Port and Santiago in northern Spain. The trip is somewhat Spartan. That helps to let go of things that are unnecessary and cling only to what is needed. Lodging is provided mostly by church and civic hostels, and I will spend the days, fasting, moving, and praying the Divine Hours. The time will also be devoted to completing some reading, resting and spending time with Kate.
During this time we've invited several familiar clergy to supply and lead worship on Sundays. I hope you'll take that opportunity to renew old friendships. I also encourage you to continue fellowship opportunities. We have so many resources at St. Peter's that are at our disposal for gatherings. Continue to build your relationships with one another and invite others to join. Take initiative to stay connected with folks you haven't seen in a while. COME TO WORSHIP! Strengthen your relationship with God and one another.
I'm excited about stepping away. And I'm excited about coming back. As I commune with God and as you commune with God let's together ask his will for St. Peter's and how to carry out our ministry to bring others to saving knowledge of the Lord!
