Dear Anthem,
We write this with much gratitude toward the Eldership team.
As God has been leading us on a beautiful, yet challenging, journey of being a gospel community of reconciliation, Jaci and I have been encouraged by those who have joined in with us to make this who we are as Anthem.
Over the past few months, we have recognized the need to prepare ourselves for what is to come with some deep work within ourselves that we are unable to do adequately while continuing to lead us in our day to day walk.
With this as the pretext, as an Eldership team we began processing the idea of a sabbatical for Jaci and me, which has led to this letter asking you, Anthem, to join your hearts and minds with the Elders as they have kindly, and wisely, given Jacs and me time to prepare for the next season of Anthem’s journey.
To help you align hearts and minds, here are some reasons for our sabbatical:
There is a time to speak, and a time to be quiet. In a culture of 24/7 noise, we need to ensure our contribution is focused and helpful. We feel it's time for Jacs and me to be quiet for a while.
The discipline of hiddenness is good for all, but essential for those of us in public roles. We must have a spiritual life that no one sees, as Jesus did.
The biblical model is not just sabbath, but sabbatical. Every 7 years you let the ground lie fallow. It's not an option for most of us (Jacs and me included), but we want to aim in that direction. Soil farmed without a break loses the ability to grow fruit. After nearly 18 years of full-time ministry, and 23 years of preaching the gospel, we believe this is a helpful decision.
We want to apply the practice of simplicity to all of our life, not just our possessions. Less is more. Less busyness, more fruitfulness. Less breadth, more depth.
The last few years have been hard. We need some time to let God heal, ground, center, and restore us for the next season of ministry with Anthem. New seasons require a lot of time in prayer and discernment with community.
Before we’re a pastor or teacher or writer, we’re parents and spouses to each other. We want to ensure we have calibrated correctly for this next season of leadership.
The most important thing in our lives is becoming a person of love in God. We must arrange our lives to make this possible. When we’re 80 (if we’re still alive), what will matter is not what we produced in the back end of 2022, but who we became.
Jaci and I will be taking 13 weeks off from day to day leadership of Anthem from 1 October 2022 in order to pursue these 7 points above.
Please may we ask a few things of you during this time:
Please pray for us for these things.
Please commit to being more present in our absence, not less, in order to hold the value of pulling together, and not giving the enemy a foothold while we’re away.
Please commit to being faithful with your financial giving so that it does not become an area of burden for Jon (and the elders) as he shepherds Anthem through these 12 weeks.
Please pray for Jon and Nicole as they take the lead in the day to day leadership of Anthem.
Please commit to serving the community in order to alleviate unnecessary stress on the staff team.
Please commit to caring for one another in order for you all to have a good last quarter of 2022.
Thank you Anthem. We love you, are inspired by you, and look forward to a significant 2023 and beyond.
With much love and affection,
Rich and Jacs