Looking Ahead to Sabbatical 2026
The word sabbatical comes from the Hebrew word, Sabbath, meaning “to rest” or “to cease.” In scripture, the Sabbath is a holy day of rest, and every seventh year was a “sabbath year,” when even the land was given rest. Over time, the word came to describe a season when those in ministry or teaching step away from daily responsibilities to be renewed, refreshed, and restored for the journey ahead. St. Luke’s policy is especially gracious in that every six years of ministry; pastors are given a three-month sabbatical in addition to annual vacation time.
In the summer of 2026, I get to go on my first sabbatical. First of all, thank you! I am deeply grateful to receive the time and space. Sabbatical is not simply vacation but a time of spiritual, physical, and emotional renewal. My plan is to create rhythms and disciplines that are rejuvenating in each of these areas.
The focus of my sabbatical studies will be exploring how Scripture’s story can/does shape, influence, sustain, and grace us in historic moments. To give context: I was ordained on October 31st, 2020. My first weeks as a pastor were during the once in a hundred-year pandemic. There was a raid on the nation’s capital which hadn’t happened in two-hundred years. Racial injustice, tensions, and protests had risen to levels not seen since the 1960’s. And to boot, there was a dividing election grabbing everyone’s attention. At this intersection, I stood as a young preacher wondering why God had called me into the ministry “at just such a time as this.” [Es 4: 14]
Of course, I am not the first preacher to stand at such an intersection. Two preachers of interest to me are the Apostle Paul and Martin Luther. Both held Scripture’s story in high regard, and heard and preached that old, old story, to navigate their present moment. I hope to study how they preached and taught so that I may be shaped in my own telling of the story for today.
In addition, I applied for (and was awarded!) a grant to fund this sabbatical as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for renewal—for me, my family, and our congregation. This grant will allow my family to travel to a few historical sites central to Paul’s and Luther’s stories. My hope is that standing in these places will make our history’s story come to life in insightful ways. And that the time in Europe will fill our family with stories for years to come.
While I am away, I will blog to share what I’m up to and ways to engage reflection together on the power of story. Specifically exploring the ways God’s story and your own stories intersect. I am deeply grateful for your prayers, encouragement, and support. Thank you for granting your pastors the gift of sabbatical time. Sabbatical doesn’t start until May of 2026, so don’t say farewell just yet. But the exciting news about the grant is new news! Thank you for your shared joy for this opportunity.
Pr. Taran
