Ben's July Letter

Dear friends in Christ,
As I write this letter, I am looking out my window onto a beautiful summer day…that will reach nearly 100 degrees. The sounds of building remodeling fill the air. An unassembled piece of office
furniture from Ikea sits between the door and me. My to-do list is long. My desire to take a nap is high.

Rest is rarely a priority in our world. We have demanding jobs, passions that need attending to, parents or children or both requiring time and care, errands that need to be run, and decisions that need to be made. Rest isn’t productive, and so it is easy to ignore the need of it.

But of course it is a priority for God. God rests after creating the world. When God gives a law to the people, themselves leaving slavery in Egypt without rest, God mandates a day of rest each
week. Once settled in the land, the people are to extend that rest to their servants and livestock. Even their farmland must be given one year in seven to lie fallow, a Sabbath of the Land. Jesus rests in the desert before his ministry begins, and often withdraws after busy moments to pray by himself. He is resting in a garden when he is arrested. God loves to take a break. God wants us to rest, too.

For most of this month, I will be taking some much-needed rest and time away. From July 6 to July 24, I’ll be in New England—hopefully enjoying natural beauty, ocean breezes, historical sites,
and local foods. You’ll be well cared for when I’m away: Doug Rose and Kim Innis will preach the Sundays I’m gone, Deb Uchtman will be the minister on-call for pastoral emergencies, and Bertie Spicker will be your go-to for church questions you can’t answer. And I’ll be somewhere to the east, not checking emails, resting as God intended.

I hope this summer, you will find time and space to rest, as well. Whether you are traveling, relaxing at home, or saying “no” to more things than usual—your rest is needed—and perhaps even holy. God desires it for you. I hope you find it.

In Christ,
Rev. Ben