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Grace and Peace to you!
This post-sabbatical report to the congregation comes with objectives
met, congregation well, and pastor rested and ready for a new chapter in
ministry. I have reported to the congregation council in detail
concerning the activities, objectives, worship statistics, staff
coverage, and financial outcomes of the sabbatical. I wish to address
the congregation now from the heart.
Thank you! Thank you!
I am rested and well, ready to begin again. Prior to June 1, I reported
in the May Cross connections the goals of the sabbatical: the rekindling
of a sense of call to St. Paul’s, growth in my knowledge of leadership
in ministry, deepening of my spiritual life, and focus on the beginnings
of a book entitled, High Stakes Liturgy.
In addition, I reported how a sabbatical can help the congregation: it
is a time for the congregation to rediscover its own resources for lay
leadership, extend the useful life of its pastor, and invite its pastor
to discover life from the pew.
All of the above goals and objectives were met with joy and beyond
expectation:
• Great rest from the on-going responsibilities of pastoral care,
preaching, building renovation, and new construction.
• Travel to family and vacation areas including mountains, beach,
in-laws, and resort locations.
• Study and reading in theological matters, including a new focus on the
book, High Stakes Liturgy, now intended for non-liturgical worship
leaders.
• I attended nine different denominations on Sunday morning for worship
for spiritual growth, ideas, and work on the book.
• Rest and work at my home in Durham, including hobbies and construction
of an addition of a screened-in porch.
• Relationship building with extended family, grandchildren, and
children.
In addition, the following observations about the congregation from my
side:
• Great care and concern from many in the parish about my time away,
offering me a welcome return, inquiring how things went, and overall
showing support.
• the leadership at St. Paul’s, lay and staff, excelled in their work
and witness to the ministry needs at hand. The building committee,
especially its leaders, the entire staff, and other ministry leaders on
boards and committees continued and more than accomplished stated hopes,
dreams, and goals.
• Worship attendance did not falter in relative terms to other summers,
finances actually were increased in 2009 compared to 2008.
• there were no funerals from June1 - August 31. I consider it an honor
and a high responsibility to be with and minister to those who have lost
loved ones, as well as walk with our parishioners in their last days. I
did return two times during sabbatical to visit and minister to Mrs.
Gretchen Wilson, whose funeral was on September 12.
• New ministry energies and new ideas and vision have greeted me on my
return: a Parents Morning Out, a task force inquiring into
Hispanic/Latino ministry, new work and outreach to our neighbors with a
very successful open house, a St. Paul’s author’s forum, a new field
worker - Seminarian Richard Keyworth from Southern Seminary, and Oh, a
new building complete with a beautiful new renovated sanctuary.
So, I’m back and very thankful for you, the members of St. Paul’s, the
body of Christ. Thank you very much for a great sabbatical. As I
returned, the first thing that greeted me was our Holy Spirit brick
relief on the outside of Trinity Hall. In that vision, it is the Holy
Spirit that continues to gather us for continued and new ministry. That
gathering also includes you. Every day we are again gathered by God and
welcomed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Pastor Colley
September 21, 2009,
Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist |
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