Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work, your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and lack of harmony or proportions is more readily seen. (Leonardo da Vinci)
[God] rested on the seventh day from all the work that [God] had done. (Genesis 2:2, NRSV)
Whenever we enter into solitude, we witness to a love that transcends our interpersonal communications and proclaims that we love each other because we have been loved first (1 Jn. 4:19). Solitude keeps us in touch with the sustaining love from which we draw strength. It sets us free from the compulsions of fear and anger and allows us to be in the midst of an anxious and violent world as a sign of hope and a source of courage. (Henri Nouwen, Clowning in Rome).
Dear Friends and Family,
As we mentioned in last month’s update letter, Word Made Flesh allows its staff to take a nine-month sabbatical after every six years of employment and active service. After much deliberation, I (John) have decided to receive a nine-month sabbatical through Word Made Flesh beginning on September 1.
What is sabbatical?
“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat” (Exodus 23:10-11a, NRSV).
Sabbatical is a time that honors a sacred rhythm found in Scripture, a time for the land and the worker to rest from their labor. “In biblical times, the practice that left fields fallow in the seventh year was called Shemitah. Also during Shemitah, individual debts were forgiven, and slaves were released from bondage. Similar to a sabbatical period, Shemitah was a time of release and freedom, symbolic of returning to oneself” (Catherine Allen, et al., Reboot Your Life, p. 6).
At Word Made Flesh, “Sabbatical is our collective affirmation that we are vulnerable and weak and prone to independence. Affirming our vulnerability we recognize that our strength comes through union with God. And affirming our independent nature, we recognize our need for creative absences that reinforce our interdependence” (Phileena Heuertz, Word Made Flesh, A Guide to Sabbatical Planning).
Although sabbatical is a time of deep rest, it is not a glorified vacation. “Sabbatical is a time and space for thoughtful reflection on vocation and spiritual formation. It is a time to cease from normal ‘production’ or service and a time to go deeper in the dimensions of abandonment and dependency. It is a time to reflect on personal well-being and the state of our singleness, marriage and family. It is a time of rest and renewal, which can take shape in any number of ways” (Phileena Heuertz, WMF, A Guide to Sabbatical Planning).
So what will this look like practically for me?
My sabbatical will be broken up into three main chunks: six weeks, six months and six weeks.
The first six weeks of my sabbatical will be designated as weeks of transition from life in Moldova to life in Columbus, Ohio. I will want to take care of all logistical and practical concerns regarding adjusting to life in Columbus during this time so that I will be able to enter fully into the main six months of my time of sabbatical. This will be time for grieving our transition out of Moldova and for intentional meetings with our counselor and spiritual directors. Also during this time Rachel and I will be visiting a community in Philadelphia called The Simple Way. Our desire is to learn from this community about ways that we can practice and apply the things we have learned at WMF in Moldova in a US context.
I have decided to give my sabbatical the theme of “knowing God in mind, body and spirit.” My desire is to know God in an ever deepening way during this time and in turn to continually discover and discern my vocation. Just because Rachel and I are leaving Word Made Flesh Moldova does not mean that our calling to issues of social justice and poverty is no longer valid. I want to seek a deeper understanding of this vocation and what it means for Rachel and for me in the context of Columbus, Ohio.
As such, the middle six months of my sabbatical will contain activities that will facilitate not only rest but also my desire to know God and to discern vocation. I will begin these six months in the middle of October by taking an eight-day silent, directed retreat to prepare myself to enter into and to leave this time of rest. After the retreat, my days in Columbus will consist of time for playing cello, writing, reading (of all kinds but with a specific focus on contemplative spirituality and vocation), practicing yoga, exploring and learning about the city of Columbus and spending time in nature. I also hope to explore my interest in food and nutrition through pickling, cooking and gardening. I am open to these activities blossoming into some sort of a project (e.g. writing project or cello recital) but will not have the expectation that this happens.
At the end of this period of six months, I will take another eight-day silent, directed retreat and will then in mid-April 2015 enter into a six-week period of transition out of sabbatical. During these six weeks I will be preparing for what comes next, most likely applying for jobs and maybe school.
Rachel and I are both highly aware that sabbatical is a gift that most people do not experience. At the same time we are extremely grateful to WMF for the way rhythms of rest and reflection have been built into the life of our communities through regular personal retreats, staff retreats and weekly practice of Sabbath rest. Sabbatical is the natural outflow of these rhythms and is intricately tied to our vocation of discovering the presence of Jesus among the poor. We have found that rhythms of rest and contemplative spiritual practices to be essential in maintaining vibrant, thriving service among the most vulnerable. My hope is to understand how I can translate these practices into our next phase of life in Columbus.
If you have any questions or concerns about sabbatical, please do not hesitate to contact me. Rachel and I both remain deeply grateful to all of you for your encouragement, prayers and financial partnership over the years.
Please continue praying with us as we seek to finish our time in Moldova well.
With love and gratitude,
John & Rachel
Our timeline recap:
- We leave Moldova at the end of August and arrive in Columbus.
- Beginning September 1, we will be working through the logistics of relocating.
- In mid-October, Rachel will begin looking for a job while John will enter into the middle six-month chunk of sabbatical.
- At the end of November, Rachel’s employment with WMF will end.
- In mid-April 2015, John will begin looking for a job and/or applying for school for further education.
- At the end of May 2015, John’s employment with WMF will end.
Our support account will remain open until the end of May 2015. While we hope Rachel’s income will offset much of our need beginning in December, we will still be in need of your financial partnership during this time. Please prayerfully consider how you will be able to support us. As always, we want to remain completely transparent about our needs and expenses. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Next month, we are looking forward to sharing more updates on our program with the kids.