For the first time in our life together, Church Council has asked our ministry teams not to conduct business (unless it’s absolutely necessary) following Christmas Day through February 16, the day before Lent. 

Sabbath—the word is rooted in the Hebrew verb meaning “to cease, to abstain”—is an ancient practice in the synagogue and church, through which once a week persons step out of their day-to-day routine for rest, reflection and re-creation. 

 During these seven weeks, you are invited to find ways to step aside daily from the overscheduled, overcommitted lives we lead, to resist our culture’s over-emphasis on success and productivity, and to pursue the activities that bring you delight and draw you closer to your loved ones and to God.

• Teams are encouraged to find ways to meet together for fun and relationship-building. 
• Families are encouraged to find ways to spend deeper time together—to turn off the TV once a week to play games or read a book together. 
• Individuals are encouraged to “subtract” something from their lives (listening to their MP3, shopping to ease anxiety…) and “add” something (exercise, reading, writing one long-ago friend once a week…) in order to make room for God.

Far from the often joyless Sabbath experiences many of us knew in our youth, we pray this will be a time of joy and reconnection - with God and with others. Some households might cook a meal together each week and then watch a movie. Another family might turn off the TV and play a game. Individuals may engage in reading, journaling or just sitting to sip a cup of tea.