Hello, friends!
Many have asked us about our upcoming Sabbatical and what we will be doing. Below you will find some answers to some commonly asked questions:
What is Sabbatical: The word sabbatical is drawn from the word Sabbath. The Hebrew word for Sabbath means to ‘close’ or ‘rest’ and is connected with the last day of Creation when God rested. (Genesis 2:3) God both models and commands Sabbath rest for his people. A sabbatical is an extended period of time when a ministry leader sets aside her/his normal responsibilities for the purpose of rest and renewal. A sabbatical is a release from the regular (and often demanding) rhythms of ministry for the physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual well-being of the leader. As a reflection of God's provision of a sabbatical for his people, InterVarsity grants to its employees a sabbatical for every 7 years of service.
Why Sabbatical? Bette Dickinson in her newest book “The Art of Vinemaking” describes dormancy in grape vines similarly to how I imagine the need for and gift of Sabbatical: “Vines essentially go to sleep during dormancy, conserving energy for the season to come. In the same way, rest allows us to replenish what’s been depleted. We are restored physically, mentally, and spiritually, so we can face future challenges with renewed clarity and strength.” No we won’t just be sleeping, but we will be investing in our inward growth to better serve staff and students in the future.
Will you still be paid? Yes! We will still be paid throughout our sabbatical.
What will you do? In order to take a Sabbatical we each developed a plan and had it approved by our supervisor. I, Megan, am focusing on spiritual formation & organizational learning. I have a number of books on my list to read, am planning to make a gratitude journal, and learn more about managing and leading organizational change. I’ll meet with a spiritual director once a month, take a monthly retreat, and invest in spiritual disciplines to prepare me for the next season of ministry. I also hope to reconnect with local community after a busy semester. Adam will be focused on preparing for the next stage of ministry as he gets ready to step into the Nebraska Area Director role. This will include trying to figure out new rhythms of life and doing some intentional learning on how to supervise and lead teams well. We’ll also be taking a family trip to Washington, DC and a “just us” pilgrimage guided by InterVarsity Staff in Italy.
Who will be covering your work? While we are on Sabbatical there is an interim ministries staff who will take parts of our work. Our supervisor & co-workers will take on other parts of our work through working with student leaders on the campuses we serve and supervising staff we lead. We’ve worked hard these past few months to make the transition go as seamless as possible for students and staff we lead
We don’t take the gift of Sabbatical lightly and know just how blessed we are to receive it. Thank you for your prayers & partnership!
Have an excellent day!
~Adam and Megan
We had Thai for our "entering Sabbatical" celebration dinner!
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