DELIBERATELY DIVERSE | by Terry Pierce
Deliberately Diverse represents the individual thoughts and opinions of a group of Taylor friends who almost never completely agree about anything but enjoy diverse discussions in our beloved community.
I am the vicar and lead pastor at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Taylor, and I am on sabbatical.
That means that I am not to be found at St. James’ on Sundays and that many of the things I do as pastor of St. James are being shepherded by other people.
In my tradition, sabbatical is a time for rest, refreshment, recreation, travel, reading, study, hobbies and the renewal of personal relationships.
It is a time for the community to stretch their own leadership gifts as they explore the newness created by my absence.
An Episcopal priest may take a threemonth sabbatical once every seven years and both the priest and the church are provisioned to make that financially possible.
For the last several months, I have investigated and researched, read books and listened to podcasts, all so that I might understand what exactly I need to do to be on sabbatical.
I found the answer in the word “Sabbath.”
A sabbatical might be defined as a string of Sabbaths lived one right into the next.
I have always understood Sabbath to be a bit of rest, a bit of worship and a lot of giving thanks to God.
In Isaiah, I am reminded that Sabbath is to be a delight; a time for delighting in God and in God’s creation.
One friend described Sabbath as the time you try to be a human “being,” rather than a human “doing.”
Peter Greig describes himself as “the bewildered founder of the global 24-7 Prayer movement” whose amazing work can be found at 24-7prayer. com.
His prayer, “Sabbath Blessing,” expresses my hopes for what this sabbatical time may mean for me.
Sabbath blessing
May this day bring
Sabbath rest to my heart and my home. May God’s image in me be restored, and my imagination in God be re-storied.
May the gravity of material things be lightened, and the relativity of time slow down. May I know grace to embrace my own finite smallness in the arms of God’s infinite greatness.
May God’s word feed me and God’s spirit lead me into the week and life to come.
I am greatly privileged to be able to take this next three months for rest and restoration, and to have “my imagination in God restoried.”
I will be in Taylor most of that time and expect to see you in the coffee shops, in the community garden, at the Black Sparrow Music Parlor and Curio Mrvosa, on the bike lanes and in the park.
For my community, my sabbatical prayer is that we continue in Taylor to move away from discord and fingerpointing, towards discourse and seeking common ground.
And for each of you, my hope is that you too may find space in your lives for the rest and refreshment and wonder of Sabbath.
The Rev. Terry Pierce is vicar of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Taylor.
