SETTING UP FOR NEXT YEAR

Prior to the Annual Meeting of the congregation where the motion was presented to grant the three month long sabbatical leave, the main task of the Sabbatical Team was to complete the 29-page grant application for the National Clergy Renewal Program of the Lilly Endowment. That was a major task because of the nature of the plans I was developing, with an ongoing itinerary of travel from place to place and all the expenses related to such a venture.

Now the task has shifted to thinking more deeply about what we need to attend to and develop in the congregation to make the sabbatical time flow well for the members of Hope. Now we are thinking not just about the Sundays during the sabbatical period, but also about the types of arrangements we need to make so there is appropriate pastoral care, special events, and other logistical aspects of what goes on in a church in the everyday sense of church life.

So we will be rolling up our sleeves to identify the work that is needed and then inviting members of the staff, the council, and the congregation to share in the planning process. It will be hard work, but it is necessary work, and it will bring about some healthy changes in our life together.

GETTING UNDERWAY

Work is underway to prepare our church for my 3-month sabbatical that will begin in April 2013. There are several areas where advance work is needed. The most obvious area is planning for the Sundays between April 14 and July 14. We have most of the Sundays already accounted for, but a few need to be determined. Another area is "Shared Ministry Events." our synod staff members and a few other guest preachers are being organized to lead a series of "Renewal Days" on Saturdays before they preach at Hope. As a further reinforcement of the concept of sharing ministry, we will invite other churches to attend. This could create a form of "Leadership Community" that would support future activities and shared ministry projects between congregations. A third vital area is "Local Ministry Team Leadership." with the help of two coverage pastors our staff will be encouraged to relate differently in sharing ministry. The everyday challenges of parish ministry will be overseen in this area. Finally, we will be developing and re-vitalizing our Total Life Caring Ministry, and we will try to move incrementally toward fulfilling the vision that TLC represents. All of these areas will require participation from the staff and congregation, beyond the members of the sabbatical team that will be coordinating this work. This is a time for reflection and collaboration.