"Plug In"

Dear WRC,

We’re back!

The Sabbatical this past summer was a remarkable gift for which my family and I are extremely grateful. We are not only thankful for it but for all those who stepped up in various capacities to keep things running so smoothly in our absence! If you didn’t already know, this is a great church full of gifted people who know what it means to love one another.

As I think back over my entire sabbatical experience, there is one line that continues to echo in my head. It was a brief piece of advice that Hugh Lappe gave to me at the sending event way back in June. He stole the idea from one of my Sabbath sermons but found a way to say it far more succinctly and powerfully. To be honest, when he first said it the only thing I could think was “Well, that simple refrain would have made that sermon 10 times better.” Oh well. Better late than never.

He simply said, “Plug in. Don’t unplug.”

Simple. Clear. And so wise. I took those words to heart, maybe more than any others, throughout the sabbatical. This was a time to stop, yes, and to rest, but it was not a time to check out. The root of the word vacation is in the verb “to vacate.” That’s not what you sent me out to do! Yes, we unplugged from work and technology and from this community, but we did so in order to plug in to far greater things.

Hugh’s advice became a question I learned to ask through a variety of experiences over the 10 weeks—How can I plug in and not unplug?

That question invited me to go play with my kids when I probably didn’t feel like it. It led me to talk to Sam when I might otherwise have been content to do something mindless. It made me reach out to friends and find opportunities to connect with them. It was also an invitation to notice God and take delight in God’s creation. It nudged me toward a sense of God’s presence in front of beautiful vistas and during mundane chores.

I return from sabbatical with no grand revelations or eureka moments—that’s not really the point—but I do have a question I want to keep asking: How can I plug in and not unplug?

I hope you had a wonderful summer. I’m doing my best to re-enter ministry here and reconnect. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to talk soon, maybe even at this Sunday’s Kickoff/Welcome Back Potluck. If you can make it, I’ll be sharing a little more about our summer while we share some great food. I hope to see you there!

In Christ,

Pastor Andy