
Rest & Renewal
by Matt Miofsky
A few years ago, I preached a sermon series called Rest. It was all about the importance of the Sabbath – God’s command to rest as a way of staying healthy for the lives that God calls us to live. Recently, I was reminded of that series, especially as I talk to so many colleagues and friends who are burning out in ministry (and other work). After doing some more learning and listening, one of the greatest contributing factors to burnout is a failure to rest and take a sabbath from work.
In the United Methodist Church, pastors are encouraged to take an extended renewal leave every 6 years serving at a church. In my 20 years of ministry, I have never taken a dedicated renewal leave. I am eager to share that The Gathering’s Executive Leadership Team has supported and encouraged me to take a 12-week renewal leave this summer, beginning May 16. I wanted to share this news with all of you and share why I think it is good for me and our church.
I love The Gathering, and I love my work here. I started this church 16 years ago. My intention is to be your pastor for at least another 16! I am grateful that after two decades of ministry I do not feel burned out, and I’m still passionate about the work I do. I am not taking a renewal leave because I am burned out. I am taking it because I want to ensure that I don’t. I want to be proactive about staying creative, healthy and energized in leading our church in the future.
As we emerge from the pandemic, The Gathering’s board and I believe this is the best time for a leave. We are beginning a new season in our church, and God is going to do incredible things over the next few years. This leave will be part of my commitment to leading us well into that future. We have a strong staff and gifted site pastors that will preach, lead worship, provide pastoral care, and ensure that ministry runs smoothly this summer.
A few folks have asked me how I will use this renewal leave. I intend to focus on three things – rest with my family, personal growth in areas that will help me be a better leader, and activities that allow God to renew my spirit and kindle my creativity. I will spend some of this time out of town and most of it here in St. Louis. I will return from leave on August 15, and you will get to hear all about the time away then! Until then, I will be preaching the next three weeks of our current series No Filter.
I would love your support and prayers as I prepare for this renewal leave. If you have any questions, please email me at the link below. I’ll be communicating more about the leave in the next few weeks. I want to publicly thank The Gathering’s board for allowing this time away, and I want to thank all of you. The Gathering has been the most supportive congregation a pastor could hope for. I am excited about this leave because I am excited to continue to lead our church for a long time to come.
Peace,
In the United Methodist Church, pastors are encouraged to take an extended renewal leave every 6 years serving at a church. In my 20 years of ministry, I have never taken a dedicated renewal leave. I am eager to share that The Gathering’s Executive Leadership Team has supported and encouraged me to take a 12-week renewal leave this summer, beginning May 16. I wanted to share this news with all of you and share why I think it is good for me and our church.
I love The Gathering, and I love my work here. I started this church 16 years ago. My intention is to be your pastor for at least another 16! I am grateful that after two decades of ministry I do not feel burned out, and I’m still passionate about the work I do. I am not taking a renewal leave because I am burned out. I am taking it because I want to ensure that I don’t. I want to be proactive about staying creative, healthy and energized in leading our church in the future.
As we emerge from the pandemic, The Gathering’s board and I believe this is the best time for a leave. We are beginning a new season in our church, and God is going to do incredible things over the next few years. This leave will be part of my commitment to leading us well into that future. We have a strong staff and gifted site pastors that will preach, lead worship, provide pastoral care, and ensure that ministry runs smoothly this summer.
A few folks have asked me how I will use this renewal leave. I intend to focus on three things – rest with my family, personal growth in areas that will help me be a better leader, and activities that allow God to renew my spirit and kindle my creativity. I will spend some of this time out of town and most of it here in St. Louis. I will return from leave on August 15, and you will get to hear all about the time away then! Until then, I will be preaching the next three weeks of our current series No Filter.
I would love your support and prayers as I prepare for this renewal leave. If you have any questions, please email me at the link below. I’ll be communicating more about the leave in the next few weeks. I want to publicly thank The Gathering’s board for allowing this time away, and I want to thank all of you. The Gathering has been the most supportive congregation a pastor could hope for. I am excited about this leave because I am excited to continue to lead our church for a long time to come.
Peace,

P.S. Last weekend, I kicked off a new series No Filter: See the Real You. I talked about the way God redeems us, including the past trauma that many of us have experienced. Past hurt can bring feelings of anxiety, anger, helplessness, guilt, or isolation. But, you don’t have to struggle alone. We are beginning a new group called Grace Place for people who feel burdened by past trauma and hurt. Grace Place is a safe space to connect with others and receive support. Beginning May 17, Grace Place will meet weekly on Tuesday nights at our Clayton Site. You can find more information and register for Grace Place at the link below.
No Filter: See The Real You
Figuring out who you are is hard. We live in a world where others are constantly labeling us. Our identity is defined by our work, our roles in life, what others tell us about ourselves, and even what we think to ourselves when we look in the mirror. Often, this leads to a distorted self-image. But God has some things to say about who YOU REALLY are, and we think you’ll love what you see.
Figuring out who you are is hard. We live in a world where others are constantly labeling us. Our identity is defined by our work, our roles in life, what others tell us about ourselves, and even what we think to ourselves when we look in the mirror. Often, this leads to a distorted self-image. But God has some things to say about who YOU REALLY are, and we think you’ll love what you see.
Posted in M-Note
Recent
Archive
2023
2022
January
February
March
M-Note 3.1.22Lenten Devotional // Day 1Lenten Devotional // Day 2Luke: The Gospel For Rebels Week 5Lenten Devotional // Day 3Lenten Devotional // Day 4Lenten Devotional // First SundayLenten Devotional // Day 5Lenten Devotional // Day 6Lenten Devotional // Day 7Lenten Devotional // Day 8Lenten Devotional // Day 9Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 1Lenten Devotional // Day 10Some Assembly RequiredLenten Devotional // Second SundayLenten Devotional // Day 11Lenten Devotional // Day 12Lenten Devotional // Day 13Lenten Devotional // Day 14Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 2Lenten Devotional // Day 15Lenten Devotional // Day 16M-Note 3.20.22Lenten Devotional // Third SundayLenten Devotional // Day 17Lenten Devotional // Day 185 Benefits to Embracing Your Uncertainty of GodLenten Devotional // Day 19Lenten Devotional // Day 20M-Note 3.24.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 21Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 3Lenten Devotional // Day 22Lenten Devotional // Fourth SundayLenten Devotional // Day 23Lenten Devotional // Day 24Lenten Devotional // Day 25Lenten Devotional // Day 26
April
Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 4M-Note 4.1.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 273 Implications of God's Humanity on YoursLenten Devotional // Day 28Lenten Devotional // Fifth SundayLenten Devotional // Day 29Lenten Devotional // Day 30Lenten Devotional // Day 31Lenten Devotional // Day 32Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 53 Misunderstandings of Easter that Impact YouLenten Devotional // Day 33Lenten Devotional // Day 34Lenten Devotional // Palm SundayLenten Devotional // Day 35Lenten Devotional // Day 36Lenten Devotional // Day 37M-Note 4.14.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 38 Maundy ThusdayLenten Devotional // Day 39 Good FridayLenten Devotional // Day 40 Holy SaturdayLenten Devotional // EasterMysterious You: How your union with God makes you divineM-Note 4.20.2022No Filter: See The Real You – Week 14 Ways Embracing Your Sin Serves the WorldM-Note 4.28.2022No Filter: See The Real You – Week 2
May
3 Reasons You Should Embrace Your WeirdnessM-Note 5.5.22No Filter: See The Real You – Week 3Identify Your Purpose and Empower Your FutureM-Note 5.12.22No Filter: See The Real You – Week 4Confidently Approach Life as a Second ChanceLearning to Enjoy LIFE by Eliminating DistractionsUncomplicating the “God” Question to Simplify Spirituality
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Holy Ambiguity
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Life
Limitations
Longing
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments