Vieux-Montréal...

Getting ready for Montreal - again! For the first time in 30 weeks I will not be leading our

worship. Rather, I will be resting and reflecting with my honey in Vieux-Montréal. As a part of our Lilly Grant sabbatical, we planned three retreats away from Pittsfield for walking and talking, thinking and planning, discernment and prayer about where the Holy Spirit is calling to us. The first took us to the Weston Priory in VT. After Easter, it felt right to make a deep escape to the heart of sabbatical living so we leave on Thursday morning. 

I read through my "Jazz for the Journey" blog posts today; it was good to take in what I was thinking and feeling during the actual sabbatical experience. Interestingly, not much has changed: I am still committed to creating new/old ways of doing liturgy with diverse music - helping our congregation grow into a new ministry of being small and vibrant - and engaging the wider community in acts of both justice and compassion - especially for those who have been traditionally shut out. So after celebrating midday Eucharist tomorrow I will be away from the local groove until Sunday evening. In reality, that is only two days away from work, but it feels like a total break: 217 days is a long haul. I haven't decided whether I will be blogging during this retreat - probably not. So until then: later peeps!