Dear Incarnation,
Greetings from your well-rested rector! Today is my first day back in the "office" (ahem, dining room table) after two very refreshing weeks away. THANK YOU to our wonderful staff for expertly holding down the fort and making my vacation possible. Over the past few days, I've loved listening to Katie's and Russell's sermons and Emily's testimony about neighboring on the podcast. We are so blessed to have a deep bench of wise preachers!
But the work and life of the church belongs to all of us, not just those of us on staff. I'm barely digging out of my inbox and have already received a few stories the reveal how you have supported one another over, engaged in your neighborhoods, experienced wonder, and pursued works of justice over the past few weeks. It is such a privilege to pastor a community of people who really want to follow Jesus and see his kingdom. Thank you for the gift of time away — I hope you will get some, too.
Dallas Willard once wrote, "If you don't come apart for awhile, you will come apart after a while." Just before my vacation, I felt that I was about to come apart, and I worried that no amount of rest could patch me back together. It's been a tough, busy year! But God is generous. I am consistently amazed that whether I take ten minutes or ten days to slow down and quiet myself in God's presence, God will fill whatever time I set aside with the rest that I need.
These past two weeks were nothing remarkable — a few short trips with my family. A few days at home readying my kids for the first week of school. A long solo hike. A concert. A book I've been meaning to read for ages (Ender's Game, which Nadia's been recommending since forever). A surprising number of puzzles (new family obsession). Scrubbing my bathtub. Folding the very last bit of my ever-present laundry pile.
It wasn't much, but it all added up to just what I needed. These unhurried days provided space for deeper prayer and reflection with God, for more open-ended curiosity about my life and relationships. This prayerful reflection wasn't always entirely pleasant; about halfway through last week, I found myself complaining, grieving, confused, and noticing things I didn't particularly like in myself. Sometimes that happens when we pause and rest. But God was present and loving and steadfast in all of it, and he is still nourishing me and calling me deeper as I step back into my everyday life.
Next summer, I will go away again — but for 12 weeks! Our bylaws stipulate a three month sabbatical for the rector every seven years, as well as other sabbatical rhythms for other employees. Earlier this year, our vestry approved my sabbatical for summer 2025, my 7th year at Incarnation and our 7th year as a church (hard to believe!). In an almost-miraculous gift of God's timing, Trent is also due for a sabbatical in summer 2025, and it's also our daughter's last summer before college. Our family is grateful and excited for this opportunity for extended rest together.
A sabbatical is a privilege, and one I don't take lightly (in fact, I feel a bit sheepish about it because I wish everyone had this opportunity). Our society is living with a deep collective fatigue from the last few turbulent years, and we all need rest. God invites us to stop, receive his care, and entrust the running of the world to him. Sabbatical is one way of practicing this act of stopping. It's also enormously practical for the long-term health and stability of our church, as it protects against burnout, enables longevity, and guards against developing an unhealthy cult of personality around a single leader. I'm so grateful to our vestry for their commitment to uphold our bylaws and to practice the counter-cultural act of sabbatical rest.
We will, of course, plan carefully for the sabbatical to ensure that our staff is not overworked and that our church has everything it needs to continue flourishing in my absence. We'll let you know those details as they're worked out in the coming months, but they're nothing to worry about. We're fortunate that we've done this before; our previous rector took a sabbatical in early 2021 and Katie and I held down the fort together. Things have changed since then (we were worshiping on Zoom, for one!), but we have strong experience to build on, a capable staff team, a wise vestry, and a rich community life.
But between now and then, a lot is happening! A new outreach partner will join us for worship this Sunday — I can't wait for you to meet her, hear about her work among vulnerable people in a remote part of the world, and join us for lunch at Celtic House after the service.
And there's more! Have you registered for a small group? What about the fall retreat? Are you curious about membership? Or baptism? Or do you have something you'd like to talk and pray about? Please reach out; I might be a little slow to respond as I dig out this week, but I'd love to hear from you.
Love,
Amy
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