I'm back! Now it could be that you didn't even know I was gone, so let me explain. Just before Christmas I straightened out the piles of junk on my desk, set an out of office note and changed my voicemail message. Then, I walked out of the church building and did not return for three months! This is because I entered a season of Sabbatical. While it didn't go exactly as planned, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step away for a season. This was a gift to me and my family; one that I won't soon forget. Here are a few things I learned in my time away: 1. I should not be a painter. In the uniqueness of the state of the world, combined with being a dad of little kids, my sabbatical-experience was unlike those of other pastors, or spiritual leaders who go-off on sabbatical. My time meant spending more home time. One of the projects was painting the main floor of my house. I did this while listening to audio books. Working with my hands and seeing the progress I was made differed from my role as a pastor. About halfway through the first coat of paint, I started asking myself, "what have I gotten into?!" After way too many trips to the hardware store and upon completing the second coat I decided to stick with the "pastor thing" a little while longer! 2. My rhythms needed a reboot. Having the opportunity to reflect on how I lived my life practically, day-to-day, I came to a startling realization. The patterns I became accustomed to, the ones I assumed were part of the job, were in fact a creation of my own insanity! I mapped-out every hour of a typical week in my life. With colour-coding, I assigned and marked categories to my daily tasks. It became abundantly clear, rather quickly, the rhythm that I had become part of my life needed a reboot. I am pleased to say I am back with a different approach that I can realistically sustain. Time will tell, but I am making a conscious effort to make changes that I don't think I would have realized without this season of Sabbath. 3. I don't just love the local church, I love this local church. In my effort to "stay off the grid", I stepped back from all social media, engaged with very little local and national news and wore disguises to the grocery store. Not a fake moustache or anything--more like a hat and sunglasses. I really didn't interact with the church community all that often. I realized how much I missed that. No church is perfect, ours included, but I am convinced there is something unique about this group of people who are on mission together. I missed you! It's a privilege to be counted among you; I can't wait to see how God is going to use us in the year ahead. Jeremy CookSenior Associate PastorReserve your firepit, gather up to 10 people and come and enjoy your socially distanced evening while socializing (safely) around a fire. We'll supply the firepit, the wood and you'll even have access to the washroom. Starting next week, every Tuesday and Thursday (weather permitting) from 6:30 - 9 pm, Sherwood Park Alliance Church will provide a space for you and the community to engage in outdoor social gatherings in the church parking lot. We will continue to follow the latest Alberta Health Services guidelines, which will require adhering to contact tracing and social distancing protocols, and wearing a mask when maintaining a safe distance isn't possible. Reserve a spot for your group or Learn more... Pastor Brody along with Pastor James draw parallels between the story of Nicodemus and his curiosity-seeking mentality to that of our young adults and the millennial generation in last weekend's message. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, sought-out and questioned Jesus. Instead of condemning Nicodemus, Jesus encouraged him to continue the conversation and to ask questions. We, as a church, need to do the same with young people. When young people are asked why they are leaving the church, the top response is they feel like the church is full of condemnation and rigidity--they have to act and perform in a certain way in order to be accepted. This is contrary to Jesus' approach to Nicodemus. Allow our young people to ask questions and keep the doors of conversation and connection going, even though it may be scary and difficult, invite discussion. Let's be a church that looks for ways to build bridges into communities and people groups that are different from our own. Fight to understand and empathize with a young person's story and recognize them as individuals. Our young people may have left the institution of "church", but they continue to seek Jesus. Let's allow them to freedom to do that and to live in authentic faith. There is hope. If you missed last weekend's message, it is available on-demand to listen to at your convenience. What do you do if you fall in love with someone from a different faith? What happens happens when one partner or spouse becomes a believer, or one takes seriously their own spiritual formation journey while their significant other does not? This weekend, Pastor Greg's message will center around Spiritual Mismatches and provide some practical coaching and biblical counsel. Join online Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 10 am | Website, YouTube, Facebook, Roku and Apple TV. To help you connect, we've put together a simple and ready to use resource for circling-up with 2-3 other people. Designed for everyone, these will help you bring intentionality to time already spent with friends during a walk, a video call, a yard project, or backyard fire. In each kit you'll have access to: Inspiration for how to get started with 2-3 friendsShort, engaging content and questions for reflection while you meetSign-up to receive your Spring Life Group Kit!