by Sharon Hardel, Youth & Family Ministry Director
I began my Sabbatical recovering from Covid that I got on the ELCA Youth Gathering Trip to New Orleans, I tested positive through Sunday July 29th, which was my first day of Sabbatical, so I had a lot of catching up on housework that I was not able to do the prior week. I got caught up, met with my Spiritual Director on Tuesday, July 30 (postponed from prior week), and Kent and I headed out of Lincoln on Wednesday July 31.
Our first stop was Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio. We had a bed and breakfast reserved at Brandywine Falls. We enjoyed hiking around the falls and other parts of the park. It was so peaceful, and we enjoyed the quietness and sound of the flowing water around us. We also enjoyed a scenic train ride through the town of Peninsula to Akron where we heard the history of the area from the train steward. It was a good way to start the relaxation and renewal process of my sabbatical.
After our visit to Cuyahoga, we headed to PA where we met Kent’s sister, brother-in-law, and niece and her husband for dinner. We had a nice visit and then headed further east to meet up with my extended family at a chicken BBQ reunion. It was great to visit with extended family and see many that I haven’t seen since 2021. We left the reunion and headed south to Family Camp at Camp Nawakwa in Arendtsville, PA, part of the Lutheran Camping Corporation. We enjoyed week of Bible Study, led by my friend Chelle Huth, focusing on the curriculum used at the ELCA Youth Gathering “Created to Be” with some adaptations for the camp setting (and adults). I obtained a copy of this curriculum and am happy to share it at adult forum or as another bible study opportunity. At camp, we enjoyed relaxing and playing games with friends that I have not seen in several years, worshiping in nature (although it rained for several days due to hurricane Debby so we couldn’t be outside as much as we would have liked), and hiking through the woods. I also had the chance to go see my cousin’s son in the musical “Oliver Jr.”. He has been in many musicals over the last few years, and it was wonderful to have the chance to see him. Before we left PA, we visited with friends and took a trip to Longwood Gardens, which was beautiful, and my family had a cookout at the family farm by the river (which was very high due to the hurricane). My nephew and his wife gave Kent and I the good news that they were expecting, they hadn’t told others yet but wanted to tell us in person since we were there. It was very hard to keep the secret for a month before they finally made the announcement publicly.
We returned to Lincoln the evening of August 12 and I took the next day to unpack and put things away. Then I began my volunteer work at The Center for People. I helped 9 days in the Food Distribution area by sorting items for on the shelves, stocking the shelves, and helping people shop for food items. It was astounding to see how many people came through during my 3-hour shifts, most days serving over 500 (6 hours open to serve). I got to work with some great people and hear about the needs in the community. I look forward to volunteering whenever possible in the future and taking our youth there on days off school to volunteer as well. There are many opportunities to volunteer there from helping in the food distribution area to helping immigrants learn English. Please feel free to contact me if you have an interest in volunteering.
We left Lincoln again on Friday August 23 for Minneapolis MN to help Kent’s friend celebrate his 50th birthday at a Twins game. On the way, we stopped at Sioux Falls, SD to explore the falls and enjoy lunch and ice cream, what a beautiful place to rest and people watch. We also visited Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone MN. This was by far the most Spiritual moment I had on my sabbatical. We enjoyed a short film in the visitor’s center that was very informative about the area and the traditions of the Native Americans that still quarry the pipestone. We explored the visitor center and went on a guided tour with one of the rangers. After the tour, we continued exploring the trails, and as I walked, I felt so connected to the earth that I didn’t want to leave. The sound of the stream flowing, the breeze blowing through the trees and wildflowers on the prairie and seeing the prayer flags tied to the trees made me appreciate the hallowed ground and the people that have been there for thousands of years. My mother-in-law told me the pictures I took made her feel like she was there, which made me very happy. I highly recommend visiting if you get the chance since it is only a 4-hour drive from Lincoln.
We did make it to Minneapolis and had breakfast with Kent’s cousin and his family before going to the baseball game. Unfortunately for Kent, the Cardinals lost but we enjoyed the game in style since his friend had a suite rented for the evening. We worshiped and had brunch with Kent’s friends he worked with at Camp Carol Joy Holling Sunday morning before leaving Minneapolis. Once back in Lincoln, it was time to help at Kent’s Ataxia Group’s golf tournament on August 26 at Tiburon Golf Course in Omaha. We spent the day at a prize hole and enjoyed sharing about Ataxia with the golfers as they came through. We spent the final week of August and the first week of September in Lincoln relaxing at the pool and canning peaches and vegetables as well as a PSU watch party with the PSU Alumni in Omaha.
My final weekend away was September 7 – 9 in Schuyler NE at the St. Benedict Retreat Center where I participated in the Cultivating Compassion Retreat, a focus on self-compassion was a perfect way to begin closing out my sabbatical. This retreat gave plenty of time to look inside myself and learn skills to be kinder to myself and others. The facilitators were wonderful and gave us many practices and take-home resources. The retreat center is gorgeous and so peaceful, I plan on returning for more retreats in the future. Cultivating Compassion is one of the things I am most excited about sharing with the congregation from my sabbatical. I hope to implement the practices into my daily life and share them with others as I think we all could use more self-compassion in our lives for the sake of the world around us.
Upon returning from the retreat, I spent the final week of my sabbatical organizing my home office room (I can now see the floor and walk into my computer without having piles to step over) and relaxing at the pool at my apartment complex.
During my sabbatical, I had the privilege of worshiping with various Lutheran Congregations in PA, MN, and NE as well as being welcomed to worship at the Catholic service while at the St. Benedict Center. I took some photos of ministries I liked and took some notes in the bulletins to bring back and share with staff and anyone interested in seeing what other congregations are doing (from worship to offering collection). It was one of my blessings to worship at Tree of Life Lutheran in Harrisburg PA where one of my former youth and a friend provided guitar music for the worship service, he even wrote the Kyrie they used and he shared it with me. I felt I also was able to be fully present in worship since I didn’t have to think about everyone I needed to check in with about an upcoming event and what we were going to do in learning and youth group later.
I am grateful to First Lutheran for allowing me to have this opportunity and am looking forward to my return to the congregation renewed and reenergized.
Thanks, and Blessings to you all,
Sharon Hardel, Dir. of Youth and Family Ministry
