El Camino de Santiago

Now, finally, some details about my particular sabbatical plans.. During my three-month sabbatical leave, I will be home for part of the time, and away for part of the time.

For the away portion, Rob and I will be going on a walking pilgrimage called El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James), which is mostly in Northern Spain. We will be walking the route known as the Camino Frances (the French Way), beginning in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, and concluding in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

 

 

In total, the walk will be somewhere around 800 km, and will take us 5-6 weeks to complete. We hope to walk 20-25 km per day on average, but have also allowed ourselves some 'flex days' in case the walk takes longer than planned, in case one of us gets injured or sick (hopefully not!),  or in case we choose to spend an extra day or two somewhere along the way. We will be backpacking and staying mostly in albergues (pilgrims' hostels), and perhaps occasionally in B&Bs or hotels.

 

This particular pilgrimage has been taking place since medieval times, and has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, so the route and communities along the route are well set up for the needs of pilgrims. There are some small towns and larger cities along the way, as well as a lot of tiny hamlets. Most of the communities of any size have at least one albergue, a bar or restaurant for meals, and a fountain for water.

 

The walk will take us through the edge of France, and several different regions of Spain, across different sorts of terrain, and on different kinds of surfaces. We're not quite sure what we'll get for weather. The temperatures at this time of year are typically warm without being too hot, but some regions we'll walk through are also known for rain. We'll soon find out!

 

In preparation for this pilgrimage, I have been walking just about every day, and trying to learn enough Spanish to be polite, make basic inquiries, and communicate my food restrictions.. I've also been trying to practice my rusty French..

 

Overall, I'm getting pretty excited! There are a few nerves here and there, but I am so looking forward to actually starting this journey which has been in the planning stages for so long.

 

More from me again soon..

Thanks for reading!

susan 

Sabbatical - What and Why?

In just a few days, my sabbatical leave will begin. This sabbatical has been in the works for about a year and a half. According to information provided by The United Church of Canada (the denomination with and for whom I work), "Sabbatical leave for ministry personnel is a planned time of at least three consecutive months of paid leave as intensive enhancement for ministry and mission. This extended time is in addition to vacation and study leave, and is qualitatively different from a 'vacation' or 'days off.' It is an opportunity for the individual to disengage strategically from regular tasks to view ministry and mission from a new perspective. Sabbatical leave is an extension of the biblical concept of a sabbath day and a sabbath year for renewal. It is both an act of faith that God will sustain us through a period of reflection, and an occasion for recovery and renewal of vital energies."

UCC ministers who have served at least five consecutive years in the same ministry are eligible for sabbatical. I have now served seven years in my current ministry, and have just begun year eight. I really do love my work. But I'm also aware that I'm tired. It feels like the right time for a break of this sort, to rest and renew and recharge. I look forward to the time of sabbatical, and look forward to stepping back from the daily tasks of ministry, although I do know that I'll miss the work, the routine, and especially the people.
 

I am keenly aware that not everyone has an opportunity such as this available to them. I am deeply grateful to the people of the congregation I serve for this opportunity. I really hope to approach and embrace this sabbatical leave as a gift, as an opportunity to do some further learning, and as an opportunity to rest and renew my energies both for my own sake, and in order to offer the best I have to those I work with.

I have some goals already in place for my sabbatical leave. They include taking some time to really rest (mind-body-spirit), spending some time with my spouse, engaging intentionally in daily spiritual practices, and nurturing my own inner spiritual life. I also have some more particular goals, which I may speak to in future blog posts. But amidst the goals I've already set for myself, I also want to leave room for new goals to emerge, or for existing goals to shift as the time goes along. I want to leave room for the Spirit to be at work in my midst, and to lead me along the way. I don't want this time to only be about my own goals, but I want to be able to hear God's voice, and see where God is calling me to be and what God is calling me to do. And, I also want to leave some room just to be. It's easy for me to get so caught up in the 'doing' of everyday life. I look forward to some time to focus on the 'being.'

In my next post, I'll be sharing a bit more about my specific sabbatical plans.. But this is part of the big picture 'what and why' for me when it comes to this sabbatical leave..  As always, I welcome your questions and comments..

Blessings,
susan

 

 

 

First blog post ever!

Hello, and welcome to my blog!

This is the first time I've ever kept a blog, and it's all new to me! I decided to start blogging in anticipation of my sabbatical leave from work, so that I can share some of my sabbatical experiences and reflections with family and friends. I don't know how often I'll be posting to the blog, but I will update as I am able.

I welcome your comments and questions along the way, so feel free to post as you wish! And do let me know if there are any technical glitches with this blog site.. I'll do my best to resolve them..

Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Blessings,
susan