Tag: sabbatical
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The Final Stop on Part 2 of My Sabbatical: Gethsemani
July 15-17, 2024 The Abbey of Gethsemani is a special place. Situated in Trappist, Kentucky this holy place was the home of Thomas Merton who entered this monastery in 1941 and stayed until his death in 1968. This community of 40 Trappist Monks have continued the tradition of inhabiting this place for over 170 years.…
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There’s No Place Like Home
July 8-14, 2024 I was recently asked how I would define “home.” I’ve often thought about that question, especially when I started my first job in Knoxville. Is home where I grew up in California? Is home where my parents were in Colorado? Is home where my current residence is even though I felt like…
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A PCUSA Homecoming in Salt Lake City
July 1-7, 2024 The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has always felt like a homecoming. This gathering once every two years is the highest level of our polity (organizational structure) that elects our two-year-term moderators, makes decision, and sets policies for the national denomination. But more than that, the General Assembly is where…
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Sabbatical Part Two: Reconnecting with My Roots
Knoxville, Tennessee June 27-30, 2024 After returning home I had a couple days to catch my breath before part 2 of my sabbatical: reconnecting with those in my past. These next 3 weeks I will visit places and people where I find deep renewal and rest. I start with the people and places in the…
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Final Stop: Barcelona
June 23-25, 2024 The last few days of my solo Europe trip were spent in Barcelona. Not having enough of Antonio Gaudi’s work, I visited Parc Guell. This was an entire neighborhood Gaudi was creating for the upper class outside of Barcelona. Unfortunately, the project had to be abandoned due to lack of interest. At…
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My Favorite Spiritual Place in the Whole Wide World: Sagrada Familia
June 22, 2024 Ever since I first saw the Sagrada Familia in 1992 when I was in a college Study Abroad program, I fell in love with this church. After Taize and Iona, this was the next place I absolutely had to put on the itinerary. I’ve been back a few times since that first…
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A Monastery on the Cliffs
June 21, 2024 Before leaving for Spain, there was just one more place I had to visit in Rome. The Pantheon. Here’s another little known secret. While most people buy timed tickets in advance and then stand in the main line for awhile during their time slot, on each side of the pantheon there are…
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Rome: Taking Care of Unfinished Business
June 20, 2024 My family and I had the good fortune of going to Rome a little less than two years ago. We meandered around the Colosseum, gawked at the Sistine Chapel, and walked ancient roads on Palatine Hill and the Forum. But it was the end of a two week trip and scorching hot.…
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A Pilgrimage WITHIN Rome
June 19, 2024 A spiritual pilgrimage would not be complete without a trip to Rome. Most people walk to Rome as their pilgrimage and have been doing so from about the first or second century. The main motivation is to visit the bones of Paul and Peter. As time went on Jubilee Years were established…
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Assisi: Clare, Francis, and the Unexpected
June 17, 2024 Life is full of the unexpected. We know that all too well. Well, getting to Assisi has almost too many unexpected events to count. After flying from Edinburgh to Florence the first train was cancelled so I booked the next one only to find it was cancelled too, along with all other…
The PCUSA Pilgrim Pastor 