Beyond the Pulpit 8.16.26
This past week, with the support of our church leaders, I took a mini-sabbatical, a gift of time to get away, unplug, and simply rest. It wasn’t a vacation, a family trip, or a week of long-range worship planning. It was, quite intentionally, a time to lie fallow, a season of respite, sabbath, and renewal.
A dear friend generously offered the use of her river house on the Rappahannock near Lancaster, and I embraced the opportunity to disconnect. I didn’t turn on the television once and rarely picked up my phone. Instead, I slept…a lot! I read, knitted, calendared, cooked and enjoyed healthy meals, and then slept some more. There was something wonderfully restorative about having nowhere I needed to be and nothing I needed to accomplish.
After the fullness of our summer ministries, and the joy of launching our students into their next chapters, it felt like exactly the right time to pause. I’m grateful for the leaders who encouraged me to take this time and trusted me to step away, and I’m returning refreshed and grateful for the gift of sabbath.
I’m also reminded that lying fallow is not wasted time. Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is stop, breathe, and allow God to renew the soil of our souls. It’s something I’m learning I need to do more often, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to practice it this week.
I’m especially grateful to our Hospitality Co-Coordinators, who hosted a fabulous Community Picnic yesterday! What a gift to gather, share a meal, and enjoy one another. I look forward to connecting with you this morning in worship at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., and at our Ministry Fair at 10:00 a.m. I’m glad to be home and look forward to seeing you!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Christy
