Summer Sabbatical
This summer I’m taking a sabbatical. From June 15th to September 8th, I will be away from City Church and my formal responsibilities as a pastor. Regular sabbaticals are part of City Church’s commitment to pastoral health and well-being. Our Personnel Handbook includes a policy that provides a sabbatical to pastoral staff during their seventh year of continuous service at City Church.
July of this year will mark the completion of 16 years of ministry at City Church for me. And this will be my second sabbatical. I took my first sabbatical over the summer of 2017 (I was a couple years late). Back then here’s how I introduced the idea:
“A sabbatical is not a vacation. It is a time of intentionally ceasing work duties in order to be restored and refreshed. The Session is encouraging this sabbatical for me (as it will for other pastoral staff) in order to foster spiritual, relational, and physical health. We are planning this sabbatical not because I am burned out, but in order to prevent burn out in the future. To that end, my sabbatical will be focused on bringing renewal to me personally, to my marriage, and to my family.”
I’m so grateful that the Session of City Church honors the Biblical idea of sabbaticals and has granted me one this summer. I’m confident that it will be good for me, for my family, and even for you!
SCHEDULE
My last Sunday at City Church worship will be June 9th. I’ll return to City Church worship on September 8th and to the office on September 9th.
While all the details of our summer haven’t been finalized, here’s the overall schedule:
Late June and early July: Sarah and I will be in New England (and I’ll be cycling).
July 17th-31st: Our family will be in Switzerland (hiking in the Alps and singing The Sound of Music show tunes).
August: As school and work commitments resume for the rest of the family, I hope to land an unpaid apprenticeship at a bakery.
The overall goal of a sabbatical is to offer a conscious break from the typical duties and responsibilities of pastoring. When I returned from my first sabbatical, Val remarked, “You didn’t realize how tired you were.” She was right. I expect something similar to happen this year. In slowing down, in resting, in being, I’ll be able to receive the gracious restoration that Jesus offers when he invites, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
While I won’t be responsible for producing anything specific during this sabbatical (other than loaves of artisan sourdough), I do intend to do a lot of reading, and even some writing. I’m particularly interested in thinking more deeply about the theme of “attention.” I want to cultivate practices of body, mind, and soul that will help me pay attention to God and to the world He has made. For me, this will involve a holy trinity of books, bikes, and bread.
CITY CHURCH
We’re confident that City Church is in a great position for me to take a sabbatical. We’ve done this before and the church did well in my absence. There’s a good chance you won’t even notice that I’m gone. As you know, we have a fantastic staff team, most of whom have been around for a long time and both know their jobs well and can pitch in to cover areas of my responsibility. Harrison will preach more in my absence and you’ll also hear from a slate of guest preaches throughout the summer. Furthermore, the Session is both experienced and prepared to provide whatever shepherding and leadership is required while I’m gone. The City Church Leadership Committee structure—from the Shepherding Committee to the Spiritual Formation to the Diaconal Committee—will help ensure an effective web of care and oversight during the summer.
Part of our understanding about pastoral sabbaticals includes the congregation. My being away from City Church for three months won’t just be good for me. It will be good for you. It will create opportunities for new leaders and servants at City Church to lead and serve. We’ll all be reminded that City Church isn’t “my church.” It is (and always has been) Christ’s Church, first and forever.
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions about either the idea of a pastoral sabbatical in general or about my sabbatical this summer in particular, please reach out. I’d love to tell you more about my hopes and dreams for what God is going to do. The Session also remains available to address any concerns that you may have about the sabbatical, and we’ll share some FAQs with the congregation as the sabbatical start date approaches.
I love this church and I love you. Thank you for the ways that you care about and invest in my continued spiritual well-being so that I can shepherd City Church in a way that provides care to all and brings honor to Jesus.
Erik