A Time for Sabbatical

Dear church family,

Well, it’s here! My sabbatical begins on May 12 and runs through August 11. Sabbaticals are important to the health of both pastors and congregations. Pastoral work is emotionally taxing and complex work—it is also meaningful and enjoyable, but I can’t pretend it’s not hard. So, pastors need periods of rest and relaxation, time away to care for ourselves and our families. We need space to put our vocation to the side and focus on simply being human. I hope my sabbatical will provide space for me to reflect on the last seven years of ministry with SFBC and allow me time to explore my own relationship with the Sacred in a new way. At least, that’s my plan for this time away! During this time, I will completely step away from my pastoral duties with SFBC. Pastor Leigh will be available for all pastoral care needs. Please be generous with your respect and affirmation for Pastor Leigh during this time when she will be carrying the full responsibility of pastoring this church.

And speaking of the church, sabbaticals can be important for congregations as well. As institutions, churches can easily become set in their ways, even progressive churches! SFBC has been doing ministry in and with Seattle for 156 years—there’s a lot of tradition, history, memory, (and dare I say comfort with the status quo?) that we have to metabolize within our congregation as we continue discerning what it means for us to follow the Way of Jesus in our time and place. Sabbaticals can serve as a jolt to the system, an opportunity to experience life shared in community differently, an opening for playfulness and creativity, or even a reminder for the congregation itself to take time to rest and restore.

During my sabbatical I will be: visiting with family and friends in the Midwest; completing a walking pilgrimage in the Scottish borders; visiting the burgh of Peebles, Scotland, my surname’s namesake; retreating at Iona Abbey and Ring Lake Ranch; and, of course, working on my ever-growing reading list—hopefully in a hammock near water.

I’ll probably do some writing as well, but I’m hoping to evade the temptation to produce a particular amount of words or a manuscript. Sabbatical is about restoration toward wholeness (sabbath!) and does not compute in the language of our Western capitalist economy. Too often I fall into the trap of thinking that my productivity defines my worth, and that is pretty much counter to everything sabbatical is about. So I plan to embrace my humanity–beautiful and messy and challenging and silly and all– by getting out of my normal routine, leaving my comfort zones, and exploring new places geographically and spiritually.

And I hope you can practice a sabbatical this summer in some way as well. You don’t need to travel extensively or try a grand new activity or change everything about your life. Pick one day, even one hour, sometime during your week, where you do something that is just for you. Something that nurtures your soul, feeds your curiosity, expands your compassion for yourself and others. I wonder where God is leading your spirit towards wholeness? May finding out be an adventure this summer.

I am immensely grateful to Pastor Leigh, our administrator Darren, the rest of the staff, the Personnel committee and my “sabbatical team” who have been cheerleaders for me as I plan this time of restoration. I am so grateful to be on your team.

I love you, and I love being your pastor.

Rev. Anita