Sabbatical is a time set aside for pastors for rest, recharging, and renewal. As you can probably guess, the root of the word sabbatical is the same as that of sabbath. Its origin is Hebrew and at heart, it means “rest” or “cease”.
Scripture teaches us that the Sabbath is a holy day of rest. And just like sabbath is a gift from God of rest and stopping work/production, so sabbatical is a gift of time for pastors to be refreshed in body, mind, and spirit and to deepen our relationship with God.
First Lutheran has a generous and gracious policy of offering three months of sabbatical to our pastors after five years of serving. This summer I get to take my first sabbatical after 11 years of ordained ministry. So, thank you! I’m deeply grateful for this time and for First Lutheran’s commitment to providing sabbatical leave. More good news is that we applied for and were awarded a Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program grant that funds this sabbatical!
My sabbatical will be rooted (pun intended) in love for and care of nature. I’ve been drawn to the theological perspective of understanding that creation itself is one of the neighbors we are called to tend, care for, love, and repair in our callings as disciples of Jesus Christ. The realization that creation is a neighbor in the same way that people are neighbors has been an epiphany for me, one affirming that love of nature for its own sake is a holy and Christ-like love.
Research shows the power of awe and the power of nature to restore the spirit, to rest the mind, and even to replenish creativity. The theological matter of creation as a neighbor reinforces the deep, God-given connection humans have with their natural world and being in awe of that world, whether it’s marveling at the view from Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park or being amazed at how native bluestem grass nourishes and builds healthy soil.
Earth-keeping is a deeply held and loved vocation for me and one that I find life-giving. I’m energized by seeing how places are being cared for, tended, and mended, especially natural areas. For me, receiving nature as a gift and neighbor is a Sabbath kind of practice.
To that end, my sabbatical time will involve my own earth-tending: gardening and visiting places that nurture and cultivate care of the natural world and spending time in a couple of national parks. In between some rest time at home, I’ll visit The Land Institute (landinstitute.org) in Kansas, Reiman Gardens (reimangardens.com) and the Seed Savers Exchanges Heritage Farm (seedsavers.org) in Iowa, and Prairie Moon Nursery (prairiemoon.com) in Minnesota. In August and September, I’ll spend three weeks in Grand Teton National Park and three weeks in Bryce Canyon National Park along with my husband Cory.
We’ll be kicking off the sabbatical at worship and during fellowship time on Sunday, June 21—I promise there’s some fun involved! In next week’s First Things First I’ll share more about what’s in store for the congregation while I’m away. The Clergy Renewal grant is designed to include renewal activities for the congregation as well as the pastor, so I’ll share more about that next week.
