Dear Oak Life,
I'm writing with a full heart to share an update and some words of gratitude. In a couple days I'll be starting a sabbatical that will last through July. What a gift it is to take some extended time off! As I have been reflecting on this time I realized that I've essentially worked non-stop in ministry since I was roughly 19 and never had more than a couple weeks off (with the exception of some time after Alie and I got married). And as I think about the past 8 years of working to help start and grow Oak Life, I'm both filled with immense gratitude for the sacredness of being a pastor within such a beautiful community- but also aware of the "soul fatigue" that comes with this work (especially over the past 12+ months as, like all of us, I've been operating in various stages of crisis' response and survival mode).
That's why I can't say enough how thankful I am for Oak Life- a community that is a breath of fresh air in so many ways. I'm reminded just how much Oak Life's values are unique in our world. Thank you for following Jesus in so many spaces- not only caring about things like loving our houseless neighbors, combating racism, affirming and celebrating our LGBT+ family, caring for our planet BUT ALSO pushing back against capitalism's manic drive to always do more and keep the lights on 24/7/366.
I was reading recently about pastor burnout. It's a real thing and pretty much every pastor friend of mine is running on empty after this past season. I've seen countless pastors crash and burn, as I'm sure many of us have. I think about those stories a lot because I actually really, really love being pastor. It's not because I like public speaking or having any sort of platform (I'd actually love it if I didn't have to be on social media at all and generally feel awkward about the title itself). What I love most about the role is getting to be friends with so many people and for the moments of getting a glimpse of the souls of others (and God's for that matter, maybe those are one in the same?)
To me there is nothing more sacred and holy than being let into a person’s struggles, grief, pain, joys, prayers, new life, and often seeing God there with us, loving us through it. What an f-ing privilege. When I think about it I cry. And so at this point in my journey I would see the opportunity of continuing to pastor for the rest of my life as a gift I am not deserving of. But if I'm honest there is also a part of that which scares me because the "soul fatigue" that comes with the work is often hidden underneath the exterior.
So, with all that in my heart I wanted to let you know how I can't even begin to put words to how much gratitude I feel for the chance to take some time off. I'll be spening the next couple months off-the-grid as best as I can. My family and I are going to head to the Oregon coast for a bit, see some family, watch some baseball, and try our best to rest and reconnect to God. I'll also be reading lots of books, taking a course on grief/trauma support, and spending some solo time at a Carmelite monastery in Big Sur (can't wait to swap stories Gina Masterjohn Norman!). If you've got any book recommendation feel free to share!
I'm also immensely grateful for the ways God is taking care of our church during this time. Ultimately Oak Life is a community and no one person can take credit for what is actually a miraculous expression of God's love embodied in a group of humans. That said, Oak Life is what it is because of the many who people who have sacrificed of themselves to help us faithfully follow Jesus as a community and there are a couple people that I wanna put on blast :)
First, thank you Pastor Greg Steward II ! You have been a partner in this work to me since the very beginning. Thank you for being a person who says yes to God. Thank you for being such a stabilizing, fun, relatable, sincere, and faithful leader. Thank you for learning guitar to be our worship leader and co-pastor. Thank you for running the show over the coming weeks. And most of all, thanks for being my friend. Honestly the memories and God-stories that we've gotten to share over these past 8 years could never be traded for anything!
Second, thank you Dev Cuny! There have been many "hidden gifts" during this pandemic and one of the best things that has come our of this time for me personally, and our community, has been your presence as a pastoral resident. Sincerely you are so gifted with people, intelligent, and creative! I'm convinced of your calling to ministry and so overwhelmed that your voice will be preaching on Sundays while I'm gone. I'm so excited to see how God uses you to shape Oak Life and how God continues to form you!
Third, thank you to our Leadership Team. It's been a crazy year and you all have stepped up to serve us in ways that most of us will never know. Thank you for supporting the sabbatical and for caring about me.
Ok, well I know that all may have read like a goodbye or something, but those were some thoughts I really wanted to share. I'll be back at the end of July and I'm soooo looking forward to catching up and beginning to meet again in person shortly after. While on sabbatical I'll be mostly off social media/email but if you need anything Oak Life related you can reach out to: Greg: greg@oaklifechurch.com Leadership Team: leadership@oaklifechurc.com Love you all and thank you for being a community of hope in this world!
Love you all, Chris