Pastors retreating

I've posted about the retreats I've attended with the Society of the Holy Trinity, which include education but are primarily focused on worship and daily prayer. And I wrote about the solitary retreat I took at the ARC Retreat Center last summer.

So, naturally, a short article entitled "Pastor Retreating" caught my eye. It was written by Jenny Warner on Patheos and can be found here. Here's an excerpt describing some aspects of a typical retreat experience:

Walking around, there are multiple signs that invite quiet. The staff expects that you will rest and not produce anything. The Protestant work ethic is nowhere to be seen in a retreat setting where nothing but the slow pace of soul work needs to be done and where taking a nap in the middle of the day is always a good place to start. This change of pace forges new paths for the Spirit in our hearts.

She is talking more about solitary retreats than group retreats, and her observations align with my own. It's a singular experience to take a solitary retreat, and very valuable. But the conundrum of clearing the calendar is the same for solitary or group retreats. In fact, it's also the same for daily prayer time.

I have found it necessary to remind myself constantly that Sabbath time is healthy and appropriate. I seem to need a reminder that my work is not going to save the world. God has taken care of that, and taking some time each day and some days every once in a while to remember that helps set up a whole different paradigm of time.

It's a sharp contrast to the American hyper-focus on constant productivity and accomplishment, and it's really important for perspective. And I don't think I'm alone in needing the reminder.