Originally published in the June 25, 2009 issue of The Evangel.
by Dr. Frank R. Lewis, senior pastor
I can't thank you enough for the gift of some time away. I'm about halfway through with the allotted time you have provided for a Personal Enrichment Leave as I write this, and so far it's been a rich and meaningful time. It was actually "jump-started" with a week in Atlanta for this year's Festival of Homiletics. Barbara Brown Taylor, a crowd favorite, was on the program again this year and jokingly referred to the event as the annual preaching contest (she wasn't that far off). Her sermon "Red Words Written in Red Clay" and Fred Craddock's sermon "Words Written from a Red Roof Inn" were appropriate bookends to a wonderful week filled with preaching workshops, great music, and time to think about my preaching ministry. I hope you will be able to tell the difference after I'm back! (By the way, we are hosting the Festival again next year at First Baptist.)
The remainder of my time away will be filled with times to relax and experience some inner quiet. I attended a prayer retreat that was instructive and inspirational and have already begun incorporating some of what I learned. I look forward to sharing more with you once I return. It's all been very timely and needed. Thank you again for providing sabbatical time for your ministers.
The month of July begins with a great outreach opportunity for us as our Building Bridges team leads us in this year's Fourth of July event downtown. I plan to be there and look forward to joining with you as we celebrate our nation's independence and seek to make a few hundred new friends downtown! It should be a fun day. Following that we'll join together in worship on Sunday, July 5, focusing our hearts on the biblical theme, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
I'll see you then!
