Some people argue that the most disobeyed commandment is the 3rd – Remember the
Sabbath day, and keep it holy. In our busy lives, we feel that we can’t take time off. In a
24/7 world, we are always “on”, always available, always working. The Sabbath was
designed by God to provide rhythm for life. Daily, we work and we sleep. Weekly, we
have the Sabbath. Annually, we receive holy days and holy times to mark the season. In
the Bible, God even provides breaks after seven years and after fifty years.
Now the practice of the seven-year sabbatical is a reality in academic circles. University
faculty are given time off from teaching to do research and to develop the specialties
which make them valuable to the university. During my tenure on the Trinity Seminary
board, I heard reports on some very interesting sabbaticals. Some resulted in new classes
for the seminary and some in books that serve the church. Some of the faculty spent the
year teaching at an overseas seminary. All report a great deal of satisfaction with their
experience.
In the past twenty years, the notion of sabbatical time among clergy has really caught on.
Bishop Gary Hansen was a strong advocate of the program and Bishop Schleicher has
continued that practice. Because of your generosity, I have now been the recipient of two
such leaves. During those times away, I disengaged from the daily chores of parish life to
do some things for which I would not typically have time.
If I were to summarize this study leave, I could use the theme “Never Forget.” As a
history student, I have always been convinced of the value of understanding our past.
But, these six weeks away, I gained a new sense of the value of memorials that will not
allow us to let things go. In Riga, I visited the Museum of Latvian Occupation that
records the history of Latvia from 1940 – 1991, a period of time in which they were under
the oppressive rule of the Nazis and than the Soviets. I saw several memorials related to
the holocaust in Latvia. In Wittenberg, I visited the museums dedicated to Luther and
Melanchthon. In Weimar, I visited the site of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, a
sobering experience. In Lone Pine, CA, we visited Manzanar, the site of one of the
Japanese Internment Camps of WWII. Each and every time, I thought how important it
is not to forget what has happened. Each and every time, I was saddened by our ability to
repeat past atrocities in new forms.
Over all, I received the renewal I anticipated. I gained insights and perspectives on myself
and the faith that I cherish. I worshipped in several different languages, with many
different people, in many different ways. I appreciated my Sabbath time and understood
again why it is that God gave the commandment to set aside time.
My wish for you is that you take Sabbath more seriously and find times in your week and
your year to slow down and let go. God will indeed take care of things – even
congregations whose pastor goes away for six weeks.
