Steve on Sabbatical: Part 6

Monday, July 26, 2010

As the old song goes, "The party's over." After 15 weeks away from all pastoral responsibilities, on Tuesday morning I'll show up at 401 W. Mineral Ave with hopes that my key works, my name's still on the office door, and I remember what in the world I'm supposed to do!

God is so good to have given me this time of amazing experiences for rest, renewal and reflection. My journeys (most with Darlene) took me into significant places such as:

• Israel... especially walking where "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us."
• Italy... especially the little mountain-side town of Assisi where almost 800 years ago a man named Francis gave his all in following Jesus.
• England... especially Oxford where a man of brilliant imagination named C.S. Lewis lived, taught and built up the faith and hope of thousands through his books and stories.
• Sedalia, Colorado... where for thirty days I had nothing to do but to be present in the Presence of God who I believe gave a rest deeper than sleep and a grounding in him deeper than my awareness.
• Home... to enjoy family, long (for me) bike rides, a short mountain trip, household chores, and lots and lots of reading.

The "grand finale" of this Sabbatical funded by a Lilly Endowment grant was our whole family of 14 spending last week in two Oceanside, California condos -- literally at the side of the Pacific. The unusually cold and cloudy weather demanded extra courage when we swam in the ocean (or at least got thrashed around by big waves and strong currents), but was perfect for our days at Sea World and Disneyland. At the latter, I succumbed to strong pressure from grandkids to ride with them through "It's a Small World." If that cute and meaningful (and torturous?) theme song was not already imbedded in my brain, it is now... forever. The best for me that week was simply watching grandkids and kids interact, play, laugh, occasionally get grumpy, and share their hearts and pray for each other. A seemingly bad ending was my getting lost trying to return the rental car and then so rushing when I arrived that I left my "smart phone" in the vehicle. I'll get it back in a few days, but it occurs to me that God may have used my folly to bring me full circle to my 30 days of solitude to be just a bit less chained to electronic connectedness. So don't try calling my cell quite yet!

Looking back over the 15 weeks, the thought has come: one could easily get used to this. Of course, Lilly does not have its hand out with more money. And, more importantly, God does hold out his -- to lead me back to his people and mission. What raises expectation is what I sense the Spirit saying: "You're not going back to work; we are moving ahead into a new season of life." I'm looking forward to seeing what that means.

I can't say how thankful I am for the Centennial church family and its leaders who not only allowed this sabbatical, but lovingly demanded it. Special thanks to the Church Councils who guided this (led by Matt Lewis and Jeff Sahr), my Sabbatical Planning Team (Tom Ashbrook, Adam Wilson, Valerie Weyand, Bill Morgan, Don Payne), our Preaching Team (Chris Durkin, Dale Flanders, Steve Graber, Rebecka Sutton, Tom Ashbrook, Jon Hardin, David Bosworth), and our great staff led by David (Ron, Randy, Karen, Jake, LeeAnn, Deb, and, of course life partner Darlene), with temporary help from Stefany Bergstrom and Leadership Coach Steve Logan.

Shalom,

Steve

Steve on Sabbatical: Part 5

Saturday, July 3, 2010
Tuesday night our British Airways plane touched down at DIA. After 45 days and nights abroad, it was wonderful to be home – a bit tired, but very grateful for the gift of this journey.

Our last 10 days of travel allowed us mainly to concentrate our attention on two towns. Assisi, Italy – a small city made famous by a passionate follower of Jesus named Francis – sits along a mountain overlooking a lush valley. Old Assisi has retained both its medieval look and small town feel – full of great family-run restaurants where it’s a sin to spend less than a couple hours over a meal. Despite ways the many Francis-sites draw mere tourists, it was not hard to gain fresh appreciation for this amazing man who responded to Christ’s call to declare the Gospel through a joyful embrace of poverty and compassion in the early 13th century. It’s ironic, if not comical or sad, how incredibly vast and ornate buildings were raised to honor a man who worked hard to renounce property and fame. And yet, in many of the sites where Francis encountered Jesus and served, we were given special times of worship – not to mention considerable exercise walking the steep streets and paths!

After a quick visit to Canterbury, we had three days in Oxford, England, staying at a small 16th century Hotel surrounding an equally old pub, to take in this important University town where the likes of John and Charles Wesley, George Whitfield, C.S. Lewis, and J.R. R. Tolkien made an impact on the world and still do. Highlights?

• Visiting where C.S. Lewis lived (“The Kilns”) and taught (Magdalen College and its long wooded path (“Addison Way”) where, in 1931, Tolkien and another friend led Lewis to see that Christianity was “true myth”).

• Worship first at historic St. Aldate’s Anglican Church that has long had effective outreach to Oxford students, along with strong internship and mission programs, and then at Christ Church College’s “Evensong” led by its very traditional men’s and boys choir.

• Time with our Superintendent Rick Mylander’s daughter Maren and her husband Jeremy who just finished an M.A. in international relations at Oxford.

• Blackwell’s – perhaps the largest bookstore in the world.

• And, of course, the pubs!

There were times these last six weeks when Darlene and I wanted to slow the pace, stay longer in various places, and go deeper in relationships with fascinating new friends in Israel, Italy and England:

• like a passionate young Palestinian believer, Zack, who runs a small shop in old Jerusalem;

• like an older Jew named Moshe who owns a store near the famous Western Wall, but would rather dialogue with Christians about Judaism than sell his goods;

• like Messianic Jews we worshipped with one Sabbath (catching little of the their Hebrew, yet aware of Messiah’s presence);

• like the co-owner of Hotel Montreal in Rome who welcomed and helped me and Darlene (“Mama” he called her), starting with calming reassurance after our Taxi driver threw a tantrum because his partner at the airport gave us, in writing, a very low fare;

• like a brilliant young Harvard grad from Brazil, Tamara, we met while touring Rome’s ancient ruins;

• like 83 year old Margaret from Oxford who delighted us with stories while we waited for a bus that never came and then shared a Taxi (“it’s absolutely delightful to be this old,” she declared with a big smile; “I feel like a college student... no responsibilities for anything and you get all these free things!”);

• like Dr. Michael Ward, a chaplain at an Oxford college, who gave us a private tour of C.S. Lewis’ house and with whom we shared a love of this great Christian writer as well as a concern that he not be idolized as especially some American believers are prone to do;

• like all those and many more.

And yet how blessed we are with friends and family in a beautiful place called Colorado! It’s good to be home.

Now, for 23 more days, my Sabbatical shifts to home and family, and especially to unrushed time in God’s presence to reflect on what he’s been saying and showing.

Shalom,

Steve


St. Francis Basilica

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Oxford B&B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kilns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CS Lewis' grave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspirations for Narnia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackwell & White Horse Pub