I won’t say too much about Inanna’s descent this week, because I want to make sure you have all the details you need about my upcoming sabbatical. Most of this will be repetition of things you’ve already heard. Still, I’m sure someone in late February or early March will express sudden concern that they haven’t seen me for awhile, and you can be a source of reassurance for them.
The dates of my sabbatical are January 1 through April 30, 2026. With some guidance and feedback from several wise people, I’ve created a sabbatical brochure with what is probably more information than you’ll need during those months. You can print out a copy for yourself using that link above (the underlined blue letters), and we’ll also have printed copies on site. I’m hopeful that folding the brochure will be intuitive. The idea is that you can open it right up to the email addresses or phone numbers you’ll need for most congregation-related questions.
Rev. Elaine Strawn will be serving as Sabbatical Minister. Although Rev. Elaine will not attempt to do everything I typically include in a week, she’ll be present most Sunday mornings and will be in regular connection with staff and congregational leaders. On Sunday, December 28, Rev. Elaine and I will mutually bless one another’s ministries in a sabbatical threshold-crossing service. We’ll consider the possibilities for the congregation’s work during this time as well.
I know the last Sunday of the year is not the most convenient time for a significant worship service. However, the timing for my sabbatical months was thoughtfully and collaboratively scheduled with congregational leadership, to allow for my presence during the bulk of the capital campaign as well as the weeks leading up to our Flower Ceremony and Annual Meeting.
Your Sabbatical Committee will be the Committee on Shared Ministry—the same people who have hopefully been connecting with committees and ministry teams to encourage collaboration as well as more robust communication and awareness about all the activities and challenges and aspirations happening within our congregation. I’m deeply grateful to Amy Glesius, Andrew Watkins, Christie Manning, Lou Salza, and Mary Ellen McNulty for their wise and gracious partnership in this role.
The Worship Team is prepared for an amazing panoply of worship experiences for the next few months. And the Lay Pastoral Care Team is well-equipped to provide spiritual care, supported by our Affiliated Community Ministers, Rev. Rina Shere and Rev. Kristy Stuart, and our congregation’s two Commissioned Lay Ministers, Amy Collins and Mark Weber.
I hope that the underlying message here is that I’ve tried to be very mindful and intentional about your continued care and well-being during the time I’ll be away. As I’ve said, the whole point of a sabbatical is to return, inspired and invigorated for the next chapter in our journey of shared ministry. I’ll be doing a deep dive into communities of practice and rewilding spirituality, and I’ll be engaging in some long and isolated walks through some old and spiritual places. If you want to do a little reading along with some things I’ll be exploring, there’s a short reading list in the brochure.
Maybe we can double up on gates along Inanna’s descent next week. Or maybe I’ll save a little bit for the service on December 28. I hope that this review of plans for sabbatical months gives you a feeling of being oriented and informed. And if some questions remain, you still have time to ask them through the end of the calendar year.
Or you can wait until May and say, “Oh, hey! Where have you been?” And I’ll tell you.
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