On Sunday, July 1 I will begin a new adventure as I begin four months at Ascension Memorial Church. My friend Brad Clark, who is the rector at Ascension, will be on sabbatical and the parish has asked me to serve as "sabbatical supply priest" while he is away. I am not found of that title, and prefer Locum Tenens, from the Latin for "place holder," but the more pedestrian title is easier to understand.
The sabbatical is being supported by a Lilly Endowment grant and it is intended to to be a time of renewal for Brad and for the parish. During the four months of the sabbatical life at Ascension will not be "business as usual." Although Sunday by Sunday we will continue to celebrate the Eucharist together and the vital ministries in which parishioners are engaged will continue, we will use these months to explore new ways of growing in our understanding of Jesus and of the ways we can share in God's mission of reconciliation.
Brad has decided to share some of his sabbatical experiences on a blog, AMC 2012 SABBATICAL, and it occurred to me that a blog about our experiences at Ascension Memorial Church while I serve in locum tenens would be good. Members of the parish's sabbatical planning committee liked the idea and suggested that I use an early blog post to introduce myself to the parish. That post will follow this one in a few days.
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