“The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone” (Mark 6:30-32 NLT).
WCC started its “ministry tour” in our living room in November of 1991. We had our first public worship service on Sunday, January 26, 1992. For the first three years I preached every Sunday, taught Sunday School, led worship, did setup and tear down, taught Wednesday nights and led a small group in my home. It was very rewarding, but hard work. Hard on me and especially hard on my family. We didn’t take a family vacation until our church was in its 4th year.
Soon, we’ll be coming up on our 22-year anniversary! Over the years, we’ve gotten better at taking vacation time, but we really began to have a deep and longing desire to take an extended break to be with the Lord to rest and recharge.
Even though the work is never ending, “with people coming and going,” our ministry leaders have recognized the importance for us to “go off by ourselves to a quiet place” to be with Jesus to get refreshed, replenished and refocused. That’s when we began to discuss the idea of taking a sabbatical (from the word “sabbath,” meaning “rest”).
So, with the support of our staff, deacons, and trustees, last year I wrote a grant proposal to the Lilly Endowment to participate in their National Clergy Renewal Program which offers funding for up to $50,000 per congregation to support a renewal program for pastors. It was a lengthy process and had many eligibility requirements, but it was well worth it. This past October 2012, they announced that 147 congregations had been approved for a grant. And WCC was among them (see photo)!
This coming Sunday is my last one preaching for a while. I’m finishing up the book of Jonah, we’re baptizing some new believers, and recognizing some high school and college grads. At the end of the 2nd service we’re going to ask for you to pray for us and commission us for our sabbatical.
Then, starting next Monday we’re off on sabbatical… to a secret destination to celebrate our 34th Anniversary, then to Turkey and Greece to walk in the footsteps of Paul and John, and finally to Israel to spend a month in the Holy Land. We’re leaving gaps between each trip to rest and think about our learnings.
Lord willing, we plan to be back in September, ready to start the next chapter of our journey together and to pastor WCC for another 20 years! While we’re gone, please pray for us as we will pray for you. And remember to support those who have stepped up to lead in our absence. They’ll need your encouragement, prayers, and presence this summer.
We love you! Thank you for releasing us to go on sabbatical!