There is a rhythm to the farming life of God’s people in the Old Testament that has them working the land for six years, then leaving the land alone for the 7th. The land “lies fallow,” and is unproductive for a season, unmanaged, inactive… allowing the nutrients which have been taken from it in its productive years to be returned to the soil. The long-term goal of this rest-year is to have ground that remains fruitful and productive for years to come.

Grateful and hopeful, I want to let you know that I have been given the gift of a sabbatical this next year (mid-2022) with the same goals for my own heart, mind, body and soul: A season to lie fallow, to allow the Spirit to do the slow, restorative work of rekindling energy, passion, and love. I’ll share more about the specifics of our sabbatical plan later, but I want you to know that one theme for my sabbatical is delight. And my hope is that this season can not only be a rekindling and rediscovery of delight for me, but for us together, as a church.

Back in the early months of 2021, as we were finalizing our application for a grant to fund this sabbatical (more on that later), I was also beginning to read the first few books that had been assigned for my D.Min program. “Holy Presence” is the name of the program, and as I’ve dug into Eugene Peterson’s books, and begun to shape my project, I find themes of delight bubbling up here as well. And yet, in many ways, this pandemic season feels very un-delightful (delight-less?), and I have these lingering questions and doubts about whether pursuing delight in this season is just whistling in the dark - a wishful, escapist inclination that doesn’t take seriously the pain and suffering in our world.

But delight is just as much a part of reality as suffering. And to ignore it is to not see things as they really are. Sin, doubt, suffering, and death seem to be louder and more visible than delight, especially these days. But I wonder if delight’s hidden-ness doesn’t actually make it more delightful. In the discovery of it, we see it as buried treasure - a gift. Grace. I wonder about delight as a response to doubt. I wonder about delight as an avenue out of anxiety.

It’s 2021, so it’s time I started a blog. I’m starting this blog as an attempt to journey with you, my Sanctuary people, through both my sabbatical and my Doctorate of Ministry (D.Min). I hope this can be one part of our conversation around delight, doubt, anxiety, beauty and other themes that emerge over these next few years. I’m sure these ideas and thoughts will sneak out in sermons and informal conversations. And I can’t wait to see how we continue to grow, together, into the beauty that is Christ’s church here on earth.

Some fun news: The Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program is funding our sabbatical! This not only means some opportunities for travel for the Mohrlangs, but also funds to cover staffing needs, shared meals together, and an all-church retreat in the fall of 2022. We are profoundly grateful for this gift, and thankful that our first application was rejected last year, so that we could take our sabbatical in 2022, when international travel is (hopefully!) possible.

-Mark