My sabbatical
After seven years of pastoring, I embark tomorrow on my nearly-three-month sabbatical. I will arrive in Washington, DC Saturday night and spend a few days in my old voluntary service stomping grounds. In fact I'll be staying just around the corner from where I lived in 1995-97. After a few days, I drive down to Harrisonburg and Staunton, Virginia to visit more friends.
On the 14th I'll get back on a plane and head to Basel, Switzerland, where I'll spend most of the next 10 weeks. I'll be staying at the Bienenberg Mennonite seminary located in Liestal, just outside of Basel. In addition to my sabbatical rest and rejuvenation, I plan to study German and visit Mennonite churches in Switzerland (there are 14). I'll also be riding trains around the country to visit historical sites from the Radical Reformation. In October I'll take about 2 weeks to visit friends in Granada, Spain and meet up with my sister in Madrid. I return to Anchorage on November 27--Thanksgiving.
I hope to be able to update the folks back home on my travels. If you receive this--lucky you! You are on my list. I don't know if I will have regular internet access, so I may try to leave updates by telephone. If you are interested in hearing these reports from the field, check out http://drop.io/thacker. That's where you will find the recorded audio as well as these postings. There are options on the right for receiving updates via email or rss. If you want to reach me, email is your best bet. Against my better judgment and long-standing reluctance, I bought a mobile phone to use in Switzerland. I'll have a Swiss number which I will send later. Ain't technology grand?
I'm looking forward to the next few months although it still seems like there is a lot to do tomorrow. Usually, when I go on a trip, I pack up a few items and take them with me. This time, I am packing up everything I own and taking only the few items that are left. Everything else goes into storage.
Thanks to Prince of Peace Mennonite Church for this opportunity. I hope it is as refreshing for the congregation as it will, hopefully, be for me. Preaching and administrative duties are being taken on by several people in the congregation and we will have some guest speakers in the pulpit. Have a good fall, everyone. Sarah Palin and I aren't on speaking terms so stop asking me about her, and keep the country in good working order until I get back.
On the 14th I'll get back on a plane and head to Basel, Switzerland, where I'll spend most of the next 10 weeks. I'll be staying at the Bienenberg Mennonite seminary located in Liestal, just outside of Basel. In addition to my sabbatical rest and rejuvenation, I plan to study German and visit Mennonite churches in Switzerland (there are 14). I'll also be riding trains around the country to visit historical sites from the Radical Reformation. In October I'll take about 2 weeks to visit friends in Granada, Spain and meet up with my sister in Madrid. I return to Anchorage on November 27--Thanksgiving.
I hope to be able to update the folks back home on my travels. If you receive this--lucky you! You are on my list. I don't know if I will have regular internet access, so I may try to leave updates by telephone. If you are interested in hearing these reports from the field, check out http://drop.io/thacker. That's where you will find the recorded audio as well as these postings. There are options on the right for receiving updates via email or rss. If you want to reach me, email is your best bet. Against my better judgment and long-standing reluctance, I bought a mobile phone to use in Switzerland. I'll have a Swiss number which I will send later. Ain't technology grand?
I'm looking forward to the next few months although it still seems like there is a lot to do tomorrow. Usually, when I go on a trip, I pack up a few items and take them with me. This time, I am packing up everything I own and taking only the few items that are left. Everything else goes into storage.
Thanks to Prince of Peace Mennonite Church for this opportunity. I hope it is as refreshing for the congregation as it will, hopefully, be for me. Preaching and administrative duties are being taken on by several people in the congregation and we will have some guest speakers in the pulpit. Have a good fall, everyone. Sarah Palin and I aren't on speaking terms so stop asking me about her, and keep the country in good working order until I get back.
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Sabbatical
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