Dear Saints,
Our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), highly recommends that pastors have a sabbatical every seven years. It's hard to believe, but next summer it will be seven years since my last sabbatical!
The purpose of a sabbatical is for the pastor and congregation to take an extended period of time, usually 14-16 weeks, on separate but parallel paths so they can come together with renewed vision, passion and energy for their future life and ministry together. For such a sabbatical to be successful, both the pastor and the congregation need to spend a considerable amount of time pondering, reflecting and planning together. The time for us to start is now.
As part of our preparation, I will be submitting an application to the Lilly Foundation for a grant to help fund our sabbatical for the summer of 2013. The Lilly Foundation offers a limited number of grants of up to $50,000, $15,000 of which may be used by the congregation for their programs and development during the pastor's absence. The application has sections that need to be submitted both by the pastor and by representatives of the congregation. I have formed a team, consisting of myself, Linda Stover, Brian Anderson, Keith McBain, Dave Bunch, Cindy Thomas and Louise Schneid, to help write the application and plan the congregation's sabbatical experience.
Both the planning time and the sabbatical itself present us with a wonderful opportunity to take stock of where we are as a family of faith and to seek God's guidance about where he is leading us into the future. Your input is greatly desired and needed! We have set up three opportunities for you and I to get together and explore ideas, hopes and dreams for our life together. The dates and times are as follows.
· Wednesday, April 11th, dinner at 6, meeting from about 6:30 – 8pm
· Saturday, April 14th, 9 – 10:30am
· Sunday, April 15th, lunch at 12:30, meeting from about 1:00 – 2:30
There will be sign-ups for the meetings in the Sunday Good News beginning this Sunday, or you may call the church office to let us know you are coming.
One of the questions pastors are asked to ponder as they plan their sabbatical is, "What makes your heart sing?" I invite you to think about that as you prepare for these meetings. What makes the heart of Geneva sing? What are we doing when we feel like we are right in the middle of the purpose God called us to fulfill?
I am excited about the prospect of having a sabbatical next year. I am equally excited about the experience of planning our journey together into the sabbatical and beyond. I remember my last sabbatical with great fondness, not only for what it did for me, but for the pride I felt in all of you as you stepped up to the plate in ministry together while I was away. We've grown a lot since then as a family of faith, and I am confident that God will be able to accomplish even greater things this time around. So please join me as we begin the process of launching this wonderful experience together.
In Christ,
Bryan
Keith McBain
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