Bryce's Sabbatical

Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.’”    ~ John 6:35

“Deep in our souls we know that we are the bread of life and to become conscious of this and to live it makes all the difference…it frees us to be more human and to truly care.”

~ from Becoming Bread by Gunilla Norris

For three months, May through July, I will be on sabbatical focusing on “The Bread of Life.” For me, making bread is a serious hobby, but it is also a model of work and life. In bread  making you mix the dough, let it rest, shape it, and let it rise again before it reaches fullness.  In life, we also need to combine the efforts of our work and our shaping of the world with times of rest and renewal.

The sabbatical is possible in part due to:

† A generous grant through The Lilly Endowment  whose goal it is to support the renewal of healthy pastors and healthy churches in order to make them stronger. Each year they award grants to a select number of applicants in the United States.

† This sabbatical is possible because of the support and efforts of this congregation; I am grateful to all of you.

† Most importantly, this sabbatical is possible because we have a very gifted staff. During this time the church will be under the leadership of Pastor Donna Dempewolf. Worship will be strong: Donna will preach regularly, and has invited guests, including Larry Nielsen and Doug Nickolas, to preach; a rich variety of music is planned throughout this three- month period beginning with the Faure’ Requiem on May 3; and the children and youth ministries have big plans for the remainder of the school year and into the summer. 

While I am away, my hope and prayer is that you take time to nourish your soul through full engagement in our summer ministries. (See inside for details.) 

And, mark your calendar now for a community event focusing on “The Bread of Life”  scheduled for October 3-4. Marian Smith, a nationally recognized leader, will guide us in conversation and activities around nourishing and shaping the soul. Participants will be able  to learn sculpting, painting, drumming, bread making, and more with local artists.

Upon my return I look forward to sharing with you my experiences and learning’s, and learn from you how your soul has been nourished and shaped through worship, music, learning, and service over these months.

Blessings,
Bryce