Preparing for Sabbatical

Leigh, Luke, Joy, and I (John) are preparing for our 2019 sabbatical May 21 - August 21!  A sabbatical is meant as a time of rest and renewal so that pastors may step away and be spiritually filled so they can step back in and serve.  A sabbatical gives a pastor time away from full-time pastoral ministry to reflect on the call to ministry, the pastor’s relationship with God and God’s people, and theology and practice that will sharpen congregational ministry.


What will we be doing on sabbatical?  Here’s the plan:
  • Stage 1 - We will spend time at Holden Village Lutheran Retreat Center in the Cascade Mountains.  It's a wonderful place to step away from life in Tacoma and unwind without phones or computers surrounded by beautiful mountains, with daily evening worship and time for reflection and prayer.
  • Stage 2 - We will travel to Hawaii to spend time in rest and renewal, explore Leigh's cultural heritage by connecting to her mom's growing up places and people, and experience multiethnic community and worship..
  • Stage 3 - We will travel to Oakland, California, to spend time with Leigh's parents.  My parents will visit, and we will take time to learn more of our family stories and cultural heritage.
  • Stage 4 - We will enjoy the beauty of God's creation in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and surroundings.  I will conclude the sabbatical with a time of reflection and prayer at a retreat center on Bowen Island.
What is our sabbatical theme?
We're exploring the theme "Mixed Plate: Savoring Culture." The "mixed plate" is a Hawaiian lunch of white rice, macaroni salad, and several meat or fish entrees--something from many cultures brought together to make a delicious meal.  Our immediate family is a "mixed plate," bringing together my German/Euro-American heritage, Leigh's Chinese American/Hawaiian heritage, and our children's Chinese heritage. Our church family and Hilltop neighborhood are also a "mixed plate" of people of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.  We wish to deepen our appreciation of who we are and look for ways God is blessing us through our multiethnic faith community.

While we are away, Peace Lutheran Church will be journeying with the same theme.  In worship and adult education, our congregation will be hearing from individuals of the Peace community sharing faith from their cultural roots and appreciating multiethnic relationships.  The congregation will engage a book on multiethnic ministry, explore their multiethnic heritage in a weekend workshop, and grow in life and ministry together as they celebrate the cultural diversity of Peace.

Comments

  1. mally malMay 25, 2019 at 2:07 PM

    God's continued blessings to you all during this Sabbatical time. We will miss you all. Trusting God for all us during this part of our journey ("mally mal" is Malcolm😏)

    ReplyDelete

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