Sabbatical

Sabbatical
 
The Managing Elders have granted me four weeks of study leave, to add to four weeks of vacation time this summer, to create a mini-sabbatical.  My time away will extend from Sunday, June 24 till Monday, August 20.
 
Believe it or not, by the end of this summer I will have been serving as pastor at Bethel for almost six years.  Bethel normally allows pastors to take a three-month sabbatical after seven years.  However, with Pastor Ryan set to leave for the church plant, we want to take advantage of his availability to preach while he is here; so I am taking a shorter sabbatical time, and taking it a little bit earlier than I normally would have.
 
A sabbatical has two main purposes:  it should refresh the pastor and bring benefit to the church.  My limited experience with sabbaticals has shown me that they have the potential to do both of these things.  My breaks in the past have left me reinvigorated and full of new ideas that have made sermons more relevant and provided fresh directions for ministry.
 
Here is how I plan to spent my time:

• I will be taking a course at Regent College called “The Weekend that Changed the World.”  It is all about the passion of Jesus Christ as described in the Gospels.

 

• I will spend a week in a silent, guided retreat at Kingsfold Retreat Center.  I will be alone with God, reading my Bible and perhaps an inspirational book.  I will meet with a spiritual director daily.  I am hoping that I will emerge with a clear sense of where I should go with my preaching in the coming year.

 

• I will visit a variety of churches that I think have something to offer Bethel and will glean “best practices”.

 

• I hope to spend time learning more about the media that is second nature to our young people.

 

• I will devote time to developing a course about walking with Christ that will become part of Bethel’s discipleship pathway.

 

• I will read books related to the Bible and/or current issues.

 
That is a lot to fit into four weeks, but if I even get most of this done, it will be well worth the investment of time and energy.  –Pastor Tom

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