When the Board first told me that I was getting a sabbatical the summer of 2022, I was a little less than excited. Maybe even threatened. I love our church. I love our people. I love my job. And the truth is, I love to be needed. My identity is pretty wrapped up in being a pastor. I thought, “It’s going to be very hard for me to let go.”

That was several months ago. Now I can say how excited, and how grateful, I am for this incredible blessing. This summer I will be taking the time to reconnect with my calling and rekindling my first love- to know and be known by my lord and savior Jesus. I’ll be visiting family and friends from coast to coast. I’ll be reading and writing to grow in my faith and grow as a pastor. I’ll be finishing a few long overdue house projects. And I’ll be biking. Yes, a lot of biking!

I hope you can do the same- take your own “sabbatical” to connect with your calling and rekindle your love for Jesus. Make space for some deep rest and recreation. And take full advantage of all the opportunities here at Connections!

I am now ready to “Let go and let God.” I can let go of my work at Connections, and trust that God, along with the Board, staff and volunteers, have got this! I look forward to hearing about all that God did while I was away. I look forward to coming back better equipped to serve our God and lead our mission.

The Sabbatical Planning Team- Kim Crane, Ruth Folkerts, Amy Luinstra, Jayne Tien, Kelly Tien, Rich Westra, Heather Willson- have put together an amazing summer of worship, fellowship and outreach opportunities.

Finally, if you want to follow along with my sabbatical adventures and learnings you can follow me on social media (George Saylor on Facebook and Instagram) as well as my blog on the church website myconnections.church/blog.

The Disciple Jesus Loves,

Pastor George