I’m Taking A Sabbatical
Trinity friends and family,
I’m writing to let you know that I’m taking a sabbatical. I will be gone for three months, from June 8th-September 8th. During that time you won’t see me present at any Trinity events, you won’t hear from me, and I won’t be responding to Trinity-related communications. My family will probably be hit-or-miss during that time as well. Butwhy?
At Trinity, we have a policy that on or after their 7th year in service, any elder can take a 3-6 month break from their normal involvement in the church in order to rest, recalibrate, and reenter ministry, hopefully with a fresh perspective and fuel from a fresh filling of the Spirit. Pastor David Lee did his in 2021. Pastor Shan did one in 2024.
I completed my 6th year with Trinity this past Easter, and as I begin my 7th year, I am ready for a break. Over the course of the past year or so, those who are close to me have heard me say things like ‘I am weary’ or ‘I am fatigued’. Though I began working in vocational ministry 25 years ago, I have never until now thought, “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”
That may surprise you. Perhaps you’ve never seen me appear tired or discouraged. On Sundays, or when I’m with people in a Community Group or Meetup or Leader Meeting, I typically get energized and excited. I have often (even in the past year), had my tank refilled. Yet, both things can be true at the same time—I can be weary, then heartened—especially when you are someone like me who really loves Jesus and people and is determined to be faithful and keep my feet planted here for years to come. But I’ve been at this long enough to know my own soul and when I need to reset.
What has caused me to get to this place of fatigue? Well, in some ways I hope to have greater clarity on that by the time I return. But there are a few factors that immediately come to mind. The first is that I took this role the day before Inslee’s stay-at-home order in 2020. Pastoring in a new role and a new church throughout the COVID pandemic were easily some of the hardest years I have experienced as a pastor. That, combined with moving 5 times during those two years (yes, you read that right…even sometimes by our own volition!) and completing a master’s degree in theology and biblical studies added up quickly. And so, while all of that ended 3 years ago, I think it finally caught up with me. In addition, we also had some challenges as a staff as we brought on two new residents and updated our ministry philosophy along with our mission, vision and values. This was a huge task and surfaced many cultural, theological, and relational issues on our team that have needed attention. Through it all, the regular demands of pastoral ministry have continued.
All of this to say, I am incredibly grateful to be a part of a church that cares for my soul enough to give me the gift of sabbatical. I’m grateful for a God who has designed creation with both work and rest in mind.
Thank you, Trinity family.
Love,
Pastor Joel
P.S. keep your eyes peeled for more upcoming blogs from me:
What is a Sabbatical?
How should a Sabbatical be Structured?
What will you do on your Sabbatical?