Sabbath Life
Sabbath Life Launches 3rd Cohort!
6-Month Sabbath Life Cohort to Begin in August
In today’s fast-paced world, the idea of taking a Sabbath day of rest seems next to impossible. With calendars crammed full of appointments and to-do lists and with email inboxes that never seem to empty, the idea of Sabbath has been regulated to a few minutes a few times a week or to a few hopeful hours at best. Sadly, for many, the idea of ceasing to work for even a short period of time is completely foreign. Is the idea of Sabbath out-of-date in our modern times or better yet, how can we revive this important ancient tradition and incorporate it in our lives today?
The Center for Clergy Excellence brought Sabbath Life to The North Georgia Conference in 2022. The first Sabbath Life cohort launched in August 2022 with 11 participating clergy. In February 2023, another group of 13 clergy embarked on their four-month Sabbath Life journey. When asked to reflect on their Sabbath time, here's what the clergy had to say...
I learned that practicing Sabbath is a way to glorify God. By taking time to slow down and embrace God's presence, our cup can be refilled. This experience has taught me that practicing Sabbath is essential to growing in one's relationship with God. This Sabbath Life experience has empowered me to be intentional on taking Sabbath. Ministry requires so much of us. If we are not careful, we can become spiritually dry and burnt out. The Sabbath Life experience has given me the tools to practice Sabbath regularly. -Spring 2023 Participant
The Sabbath Life has reminded me that God is constantly speaking to me through all of His creations, I just need to slow down and pay attention. -Spring 2023 Participant
Sabbath Life helped me appreciate the vital need for connection and community, which has shown up in my preaching and teaching. I see the need for my congregation to reconnect with each other in community. -Spring 2023 Participant
I had just come out of a very stressful month of ministry. This time away helped me to refocus on the ministry God was calling me to at this appointment no matter how long I had. It allowed me a chance to have some honest conversations with God and to ask for wisdom and discernment on how to move forward. It helped me to focus more on being prayerful in all situations and to seek God’s wisdom over my own. It reminded me of the need I have as a clergy person to seek God often and to find my rest in God. -Spring 2023 Participant
I have found myself intentionally encouraging my co-workers and congregants to take care of themselves and to extend themselves grace. This has been fueled by my experience of Sabbath Life. -Spring 2023 Participant
Join the Next 6-Month Sabbath Life Cohort
Who:
All North Georgia UMC Clergy (Elders, Deacons, Local Pastors, Provisional Clergy, Retired Clergy) serving full-time or part-time
When:
Mondays 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM on August 28, September 25, October 23, March 18, April 15, May 20
Where:
At a farm located just outside of Cumming near the Forsyth/Cherokee County line
Cost:
$250 FOR ALL 6 sessions or $50 per session
SPACE IS LIMITED!
To learn more about this opportunity,
contact Rev. Leigh Martin
Center for Clergy Excellence, Program Coordinator
leigh.martin@ngumc.net or 678-533-1372
Embody a way of life grounded in the practice of Sabbath
We believe that God made the world and all of creation for the purpose of delight: God’s and ours. After God created in six days the beautiful and well-ordered world, God created Sabbath, a time for ceasing from work to delight in all that had been created.
To practice Sabbath is to enter into the joy of God, who responded to creation by naming it “very good.” Sabbath teaches us the practices of celebration, attentiveness, and delight.
Sabbath Life is an invitation to clergy and ministry professionals to practice the rhythms of Sabbath, stepping away from our daily lives to delight in God, creation, and each other. This unique format offers a holistic approach to good health and clergy renewal, which in turn leads to flourishing congregations and communities.
For a glimpse into what Sabbath Life is all about, watch this video:
Rhythm of the Day
Between 8:30am and 9:00am, participants arrive ready to unplug and be fully present for the day apart. The day begins at 9am in the garden with welcome, gathering, and an invitation to delight in the work of growing food together. At the end of the morning, we move into a time of worship and gather around the table for Holy Communion and a simple feast of local, seasonal food, prepared on site.
For two hours in the early afternoon, we practice shared silence, during which participants can engage in a time of meditation or prayer, a book, rest, a walk, journaling or a creative practice, or simply waiting on God.
We end the day by gathering for a brief time of reflection on the day and how God is moving in our lives. At 3:30pm, we depart for home refreshed, renewed and reconnected with God, each other, and with creation.
