If I don’t say it enough, let me say it again, I love St. John’s! I find this church to be creative and engaged; willing to try new things while respectful of a unique and beautiful history; kind even while challenging the inequities in which we are immersed. Like many ministers, I will be taking time away next year for sabbatical. Specifically, I will be gone October, November, and December of 2018 and May and June of 2019.

Those months will be used to engage spiritual practice, learn something, rest a little, and come back for another 5 years and repeat the process.

The covenant between church and minister includes that during my time away, the church will not change anything about my position and I promise to stay at least a full year upon my return.

You may be familiar with ministers using their time away to travel abroad or engage in great adventures. The reality of my life includes children and pets and obligations close to home. I may travel to Europe and would love to get to Transylvania; the reality may be closer to Cincinnati. That said, there are some interests that I would like to pursue with greater depth than I can during a regular year: I would like to learn more about appreciative inquiry, study the book of Esther in depth, stick with gardening long enough to grow a tomato, learn more about the business side of non-profit organizations, and there is more!

There will be a sabbatical committee to see the church through these two small periods of my absence.

Thank you for being such a beautiful community and providing time for the minister to refresh and return.