February 01, 2023
As announced in November, Pastor Morgan Fletcher has scheduled her sabbatical for this year! She is well into her 8th year of service to Calvary and has deferred her sabbatical a couple of times, so it is past time for it and well deserved. We are pleased to be able to offer her this opportunity for rest and rejuvenation now!
Morgan has presented her plans for her sabbatical to both the Staff Relations Committee and to the Church Council, and received not only approval but wholehearted support from both groups. Her time away will include using the spiritual practice of narrative self-reflection; developing rituals for cornerstones in her faith stories so she can connect with them throughout the year; and inviting each of her cornerstone communities to help her in discernment on how to continue to grow in faith formation and practices that promote a culture of safety, empowerment, and communal healing.
Planned outcomes include exploring a workshop for a Calvary Retreat on Narrative Guided Self-Reflection; translating ritual making so others can utilize this within their own cornerstones of their faith story; and to be with soul friends and family to reset her heart, mind and body, to hear their sage wisdom and to be reminded of where God has brought her from, where she is now, and how God may be stirring in her for the next season.
Morgan has chosen a schedule for her sabbatical that is a bit different from the usual 3-month hiatus. This not only accommodates her and Ian’s needs as parents of small children, but also allows her to participate in a number of important annual milestones in Calvary life. Her schedule is as follows:
February 12 – 19 (1 week)
April 10 – 16 (1 week)
May 1 – May 15 (2 weeks)
July 1 – July 15 (2 weeks)
July 31 – Sept 9 (6 weeks)
This allows her to be present with her Calvary family during Easter, 5th Sundays, June church trip, and Vacation Bible School. This schedule also makes planning for coverage somewhat easier, much appreciated by her colleagues! She has developed a plan to ensure coverage during her absences, and our fabulous pastoral and ministry teams will step up to ensure that Calvary is well cared for during this time of renewal for Morgan. We will miss Morgan greatly when she is away, but know this is an important time for her to refresh and renew her spirit for the years to come!
If you have questions about what pastoral sabbaticals are all about, you can read an FAQ here.
Questions may be directed to Beth Dickinson, Chair of Staff Relations.