St. Thomas Aquinas, "Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious."
My life has been exceedingly lucky in friendship. When I thought about how I might live the next six weeks of my life, time with my favorite conversation partners and dearest friends stirred my soul.
Today the first half of my sabbatical begins. Six weeks will pass quickly, (pastors are given twelve weeks; Session and I decided I would take six weeks two summers in a row instead of all twelve this summer). As you know pastors work on the sabbath; thus, a sabbatical, a sabbath rest is not for producing or achieving anything.
I am calling this my “Friend-Sabbath”. This week I begin a journey of gratitude for a few friends who mean the world to me.
Saturday, Joey and I will arrive in Boston where we shall dine at a sacred place on the wharf where we have had many celebrations through the years. We will stay the night with my dear friend, Carol, and get to hear her preach on Sunday! (Our story began in my mom’s kindergarten class in a church where women could not even make announcements during worship.) I am sure you have heard me say, “my best friend from childhood, Carol, who is an Episcopal priest in Boston…”
Then Joey and I will travel to Cape Cod for the week, including a boat to Nantucket. One of my favorite memories of the Cape is riding a bike everywhere—but since I can’t do that now, I am renting an E-trike. (You know that saying about making lemonade.)
Then to Cambridge, where we lived for a few years, (yes directly across the street where Obama lived at the same time in the late 80’s!). On July 21, we will worship with the Old Cambridge (American) Baptist church I served in Harvard Square. Then Joey will return to Springfield and my “Friend-Sabbath” will continue.
Time in New England always includes conversations with the elder, Robert (Bob) Randolph, who called me to my first church, the Brookline Church of Christ, where I served as the first woman installed for pulpit ministry in the denomination.
I will stay in Boston for a bit. It is a place I still think of as “home”; the place I lived for an MDiv, and a PhD, a place where I served two churches, and most importantly, a place where lifelong friendships were born.
Then I return home to Springfield to do laundry for a family road trip to Tulsa to celebrate Spenser’s birthday. While in Tulsa, as part of my “Friend-Sabbath”, I look forward to connecting with two of my youth ministers from my adolescence, one of whom, Michael McKee, became a lifetime friend.
Next, off to Kansas City to be with my bestie from the Boston PhD years—Joy Clark is now a prof in Yakima WA. We are staying on the Plaza—dreaming of late-night roof top conversations. (But we will likely be in bed by 10pm.)
Then I fly from KC to Denver, to be met by Charisa Hunter- Crump, for a few days with Vic and his family. I fell in love with the Hunter family when I was a student in London; they are family. (Vic and his daughter Charisa are ordained ministers.)
I will send pics and updates via our Facebook, Westminster Friend’s group. Let’s pray for each other. I return to the pulpit on August 25th, (Back- to School Sunday). For six Sundays you will hear from a variety of excellent preachers.
For pastoral care, Bill Havens has kindly agreed to be the pastor on call. For urgent needs, Marga will contact me.
This is my prayer: “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.” III John 2
I love you all!
Pastor Micki
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