Like an approaching wedding or graduation, so our sabbatical time now arrives with a

day for so long, my calendar program automatically chooses the word when I just begin

creation of the Sabbatical team headed up by Walt Reynholds, Mary Anne Deik, Bob

Deik, Sabbatical Manager, Terry DiSalvo, Art Upright, Betty Smith, and our faithful

partner in ministry, Chuck Zieg, who died on April 29 (Please continue to keep Dottie

and family in your prayers). Please know how much gratitude and appreciation I have

for this group who have hung in there throughout this often-demanding process of

actually doing a sabbatical, not just for me but for all of us!

member a detailed description of weekly activities and sense of the sabbatical flow of

life over the next three months and 2) invite all members and newcomers to participate

in this unique sabbatical experience over the next ninety days. I pray when all is said

and done, we will be like family members who have been apart for three months and

just can't wait to tell what has been happening in our lives, what we saw, heard,

touched, discovered, explored, accomplished, completed while away.

As we near "launch day," June 6, I want to first thank all of you, the wonderful people of

St. John's, for your openness, encouragement, and support, enabling us to embark on

this sabbatical journey. After thirty-three years of parish and synodical ministry, it truly is

a "once-in-a-lifetime experience” for Susan and me. The longest time I have been away

from any congregation I have served was two Sundays in a row. This fact alone will

really be a strange experience! Please accept my deepest gratitude to all of you at St.

Johnʼs for this opportunity to make dreams come true, renewing, reflecting, restoring,

and refreshing (somewhat like rebooting a computer that has just downloaded an

updated operating system) for myself, our family life, our congregational life together as

we connect with the world around us in Christ's name. What a special time this will be,

only months from celebrating 110 years as Godʼs people in 2011.

June 6 is more than just any day in my life and as the "launch day" for sending Susan

and me forth into sabbatical orbit on this ninety-day journey. June 6 is the actual

anniversary date of my ordination as a minister of Word and Sacrament at Kanley

Chapel, Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1978. Matching this

date was not specifically planned beforehand. This is God's handiwork truly at work in

our lives!

Blessed to have strong partners in ministry, both within the leadership of our

congregation and among our synodical partners of the Hudson Conference (Pastor Rich

Mueller, Hudson Conference Dean, Pastor Emeritus John Heller and other pastors who

may be called to help in specific circumstances) and the Metropolitan New York Synod

(Bishop Robert Rimbo, and Assistants to the Bishop, Pastors Jack Horner Jonathan

Linman, Kathleen Koran, and Tanzanian guide, Pastor Gary Mills), we can actually

venture forth through these summer days with a sure confidence in God's daily

oversight through many helpful hands.

We are truly blessed with the presence and very competent assistance of Pastor Al

Ahlstrom on a weekly basis, Bob Deik as Sabbatical Manager / Council President,

Congregation Council, Mission Team Leaders, Deacon Rich Ferolito and Gloria Taylor.

All are taking upon themselve daily, weekly and periodic key leadership and worship

positions. Special leadership participation of five Saturday Chapel Service lay

preachers (Brian DiSalvo, Rich Ferolito, Steve Jones, Ron Patkus and Gloria Taylor) is

a gift all will truly come to appreciate. Our church staff (Margaret Goerlitz, Diana Magel,

Janie Hopkins, Susan Guse, and Abby Triebel) will forge ahead with their leadership

skills through the summer months to help maintain some sense of normalcy.

Susan and I only have one special request: please keep us in your daily thoughts and

prayers! Be assured we will constantly keep all of you in our thoughts and prayers as

well! Only a firm, solid trust in the God who claims us in baptism and calls us forth to

serve in Jesusʼ name do we venture into these yet-to-be lived sabbatical waters, trusting

autumn that will be here before we know it.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor and Susan Ward