Renewing Joy: Baptized by water and the Spirit
OUR Sabbatical Season 2022
What is a sabbatical?
The word sabbatical has its roots in the biblical concept of Sabbath (“to rest” or “to cease”). The Sabbath is sacred time, during which God’s people rest from labor — not for the sake of rejuvenation, but for the sake of deepening our experience of God’s active presence in our lives. A time to renew our faith. The Sabbath is time with God, and without distractions. Sabbatical, likewise, is a time for clergy to spend concentrating on some aspect of their ministry, prayer life, spiritual discipline, or study. Sabbatical is not vacation: it is a period of extended, focused, prayerful attention on some aspect of the priestly vocation. Our upcoming Sabbatical will be a time for me and for each of you to renew our baptismal vocation through study, prayer, visiting preachers and clergy, and some special Sabbatical invitations. Since ministry is shared within the parish community, the sabbatical can be a period of deepening spirituality for the whole parish.
I will begin my part of the sabbatical after services and a festive, water-oriented send off event for the whole parish, on Sunday, August 28, 2022 and will return to Trinity on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. I will look forward to being back with you in worship on Sunday January 8, 2023 when together we will celebrate the Baptism of our Lord with a joyful renewal of vows and “mingling of waters.” You and your family will be invited to collect water from your "sacred place" to contribute to this baptismal renewal when we regather. Special bottles to collect the water are available now in the office (contact Beth at confrancisco@trinityconcord.org or stop by to get yours) and will be handed out at the celebration on Aug. 28. I will also be collecting water from the places I visit.
We plan to host an in-person (hybrid if needed) Trinity Town Hall in January 2023 when I will share about my experiences and for you all to share with me about what we all learned, how we are renewed in the Spirit, and ways we hope to move forward in our mutual ministry.
I am grateful to be your rector, and grateful for this opportunity for growth for all of us. Please click below for more information about the upcoming sabbatical season, and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Blessings, with gratitude,
Nancy+