We have arrived! Pinch me! This is my last weekend in worship before we all journey into this time of three months (May-July) called “sabbatical.” I appreciate many of you who have shared your comments of how exciting it is for sabbatical time to arrive. The hugs and well wishes are touching, but really sabbatical is a time for all of us.
Sabbatical is time for the congregation too. I hope you will embrace this time to welcome the many different voices that will be shared in our time of worship. True, you get a break from me (lol!), but I think you will enjoy seeing Pastor Judy, Bishop Anne, Sommer, and retired pastor, Jan. They will share their wealth of ability and proclamation of Jesus Christ very well. In July we will lean on many of our very own Denise & Rick Barnaal, Jack Pautz, Sue Kerzisnik, and Jim Weyers. What will they say? You will have to come or watch online to hear their messages of God’s love. I want to hear and see them too! But, it is time for sabbatical.
Honestly, I have been managing a lot since Pastor Dara left, shifting gears often because of the pandemic, not to mention the preaching, teaching, worship, visiting the sick and homebound, and other countless details, like a air exchanger going out! It will be eight years in August that I have been at CtK. It is time to rest, reflect, recreate, reconnect, and do some things that push me. I had hoped to do this in my early years at CtK, but with staffing transitions of Pastor Tim and Pastor Dara and the timing of the pandemic it didn’t seem to work out.
Check out our website to see the awesome, colorful brochure that Sue put together for us see the roadmap through our summer months and answer questions you may have around sabbatical. I’m not sure what God has in mind for me, but I am confident God will do a good work on this guy while I’m away immersed in the planned activities. And I know God will be working in you too!
I look forward to reconnecting with you upon my return. But until then, know that God is up to something special at CtK, in all your lives and in mine too! See you in August!
Christ’s Easter Peace & Joy,
Pastor Nate