Minister’s Sabbatical
26 Dec 2023
Where has our Minister gone? That might be what you think for the first few months of 2024, especially if you are not a member and haven’t been aware of decisions at church meetings recently.
I have been at Latimer for ten years. The church have very kindly given me a sabbatical from Christmas 2023 to Easter 2024 (January-March). This means I won’t be around at church, and I’ll be freed from my usual responsibilities (including preaching and regular pastoring).
What does this mean, positively? It is a time for rest, recharging batteries, reflection on the past and rejuvenation for the future. It isn’t a three month holiday. It is more a time to step back from the front line, and be replenished.
I am sensitive to the fact that I’m sure everyone needs this! However, I am grateful to you all for allowing me this time. It is important to see that, ultimately, this should be for the good of the church as a whole. It can be easy in the week in week out work of preaching and pastoring to let tiredness enter in, for corners to be cut (imperceptible to others at least until it is too late). I’m very grateful that Latimer is a church that recognise that pastor-teachers need to be well resourced and refreshed!
What won’t I be doing for these months? I won’t be stopping being a Christian! Although I won’t be attending Latimer on Sunday’s, don’t worry, I will be worshipping and sitting under God’s word. Importantly I won’t be preaching. I won’t be filling my Sunday’s with opportunities to take services elsewhere (I have already declined requests). One purpose of sabbaticals is to remind pastors that we are Christians first - we need God’s word and his refreshment before we pass it on. As individuals we are not ultimately necessary.
I also won’t be taking an extended holiday. It won’t be three months on a sunny island. It will be a different kind of “work”. What will I be doing? I don’t have a big project to complete or a book I plan to write. But I do have a number of things I want to achieve.
It has been a crazy few years (no-one expected a pandemic with all it’s consequences), and it would be good to reflect on some of the things we’ve been through. It will be a good chance to reflect on those issues and to hopefully leave them behind and move forward. I would also like to do some reading and study. There are a number of books that just don’t get read due to the tyranny of the urgent. I have some writing I’d like to do.
I will be in Beverley for most of the time, and Rachel and Alex and Emily will still be involved at Latimer. I’m going to be sitting in on a week long course at the London Seminary on the doctrine of humanity at the start of January. I will visit a few other people and places - including a 24 hour retreat for Yorkshire pastors. I will end the sabbatical with a couple of weeks quiet study in a flat at Capernwray Hall which is rented out to pastors for this purpose.
So please pray - ultimately that these few months will benefit us all. I am very grateful to those who have agreed to take services in my absence. We are blessed with men both in the church and those who are friends of the church who are willing and able to do this. On Sunday mornings, you will be going through 1 Thessalonians for most of this time. This will bring a sense of continuity to the services. I look forward to seeing what the Lord will do in my absence.