Sabbatical Plans: Pilgrimage and Practices

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Solana Beach Presbyterian Church has a long tradition of providing for the care and renewal of staff, including sabbatical for ordained pastors every seven years. Session has approved the timing of my sabbatical from April 21 to August 5. Amy and I are ready to grow and are grateful for this opportunity.
Sabbatical means a planned discipline of rest, or Sabbath; unplugging from the day to day for soul refreshment and renewal; trusting that God is at work when we are not; practicing healthy detachment, so that we spend a season apart and then come together with energy and vision for what’s next.
This year Amy and I celebrate 33 years of marriage, 28 years of ordained ministry, and 15 years at SBPC. Although I serve as senior pastor, we have always approached ministry as a team, and realize that the health and vitality of our marriage has a direct impact on ministry. We look forward to the ways God will transform and renew our hearts together.
The themes of our sabbatical are pilgrimage and leadership development. We begin with leading our fourth tour to Israel, where we will dive deeper into scripture and the Biblical sites. Amy and I will walk the ancient 500-mile Camino de Santiago in northern Spain with a daily rhythm of prayer, alone and together with others on a journey with God. The last month of sabbatical I will focus on reading, reflecting and conversations with pastors on leadership development at Whitworth University in Spokane.
As I reflect on our journey together at SBPC, this continues to be an exciting time of change and transition as we focus on the mission God has called us to: a debt free campus, younger families, revitalized intergenerational worship, and relational bridges that serve our community and provide on-ramps into our life together. I am excited and motivated for the next decade of ministry ahead of us and want to renew my gifts of leadership and my passion for the church.
All of my responsibilities will be delegated to our great staff of women and men who love God, love each other, and love our church. Paula Taylor will be acting head of staff and moderator of Session. I’m grateful for her leadership, wisdom and history with our church. Paula, Juan Daniel Espitia, and Jamie Nelson will share the preaching. We have worked together to develop message series and ministry plans that will move us forward as a growing community of fully devoted followers of Jesus.
I am confident that God is at work in this season to make us more like Jesus for the sake of others, to be a church family that lives out God’s purposes, and to be the body of Christ that uses our shape to build up the church, demonstrate the kingdom of God, and invite others to follow Jesus.
I ask you to continue praying, giving and serving with uncommon generosity to support our life together. Let’s practice being a covenant family marked by commitment, intimacy and grace. I will be praying for you everyday, and ask that you keep us in your prayers as well. We look forward to our adventure together and apart, and look forward to sharing all that God has done when we return.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! (www.northumbriacommunity.com)
In Christ,
Mike
P. S. Follow our journey at mikemcclenahan.blogspot.com!

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