Congratulations, you spiritual adventurers! At last count, 165 Saguaro folks have signed up to be part of 18 small groups that will meet during the season of Lent (the 40 days before Easter) to study Martha Grace Reese’s book, Unbinding Your Heart, to share the stories of our faith, and to pray for one another and for our church. It has been so encouraging to see the e-mails that group leaders are sending to support one another and to share how God is working through this process.

Our small groups include all kinds of people, from long time members to visitors who have just recently come to Saguaro; from teenagers to octogenarians; meetings are happening at church, in homes, in libraries, and around campfires (some fires were more successful than others!). The good news is that in all these places, people are sharing their faith, praying together, and listening for God’s voice. If you weren’t able to be part of a group this season, I hope that you will pray for our e-Project groups. You can also pick up a copy of Unbinding Your Heart in the church office if you would like to use the 40 day prayer journey on your own.

I am looking forward to some adventures, spiritual and otherwise, this summer when I will be on Sabbatical leave from July through September. I’ll be traveling to Germany and Austria on July 6th, to visit some of the churches and castles, and to see the Passion Play at Oberammergau, presented once each decade for the last 370 years! There are brochures about the trip in the narthex if you would like to learn more (or tag along on the trip!). I will also be spending some time in reflection at local monasteries, making time for visits with family, and doing some work with straw bale construction practices, a sustainable building practice that I’ve always been interested in but never had time to pursue. Perhaps it will lead to some future mission trip ideas.

The Sabbatical Committee and Pastoral Relations Committee will be meeting throughout the spring to help me with planning and to help support Heather with leadership of the church during the sabbatical period. If you have questions, please feel free to talk to me or to a member of the committee.

Keep praying during this Lenten season.

Bill