Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 August 2009 15:28 Written by Rev. Dr. Hilary J. Barrett
The church, in its wisdom, provides pastors with a sabbatical study leave every seventh year. To better serve the needs of the church, I divided my sabbatical in half, taking six weeks the summer of 2006 and six weeks this summer.
On July 21st I will leave for six weeks of Sabbath. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to take this time for rest and renewal and I hope to share the rewards of both upon my return.
It’s a bit hard to say exactly what I plan to do with this gift of time. The closest I can come is to let you know that I recently read a book by Barbara Kingsolver called, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, this book tells the story of how one family was changed by a year of deliberately eating food produced in the place where they live. The book got me thinking about land and its uses, farmers and how precious they are, locally grown food and how important it is to support these types of industries.
In the corner of my office, propped on a bookshelf, stands a small cardboard sign that reads, "From Small Farmers with Love." It was given to me by my friend, Karen, who is a small farmer raised among small farmers and whose life, to this day, continues to be intertwined with the few remaining small farmers in the Worcester and Lower Salford townships. Like our area here, the open landscape there is quickly disappearing and with it a way of life.
I plan to spend the majority of my time reading books that will nourish my spirit and enrich my ministry here at Pleasantville. I plan to live simply, eat as locally as possible, and support as many small farmers as I can in the process. I plan to spend a lot of time alone with God. And I plan to count my blessings on a daily basis.
In my absence, Pastor Amelie will serve with competence and care and Pastor Paul Ritter, our Minister of Visitation, will assist her with pastoral care. So you can rest assured that the church will be in very good hands.
I will return on Tuesday, September 1st. Please keep me in your prayers as I will keep you all in mine.