I returned late last night from North Carolina. The trip was enjoyable. All of my travel went smoothly. I especially enjoyed the two-hour drive from Knoxville to Lake Junaluska--it was beautiful. I had never been to that portion of the continent, and was especially surprised by two things. First, people are so friendly. Everywhere I went--whether it was the gas station or hotel clerk--everyone seemed genuinely nice. It was refreshing. The second thing was all those churches. People call the Fraser Valley the Bible Belt (which it certainly is not!), but it has no comparison to the sheer volume of churches everywhere in that area. On every corner, on every road, on every imaginable place there is a church.
The seminar was also very rewarding. It was well-done, professional, and exactly geared to the needs of long-term pastors (those serving a congregation for 7+ years). Our days started at 9am and ended at 9pm. It was certainly full, but also gave plenty of space for informal interaction and time to enjoy our beautiful setting.
One thing I found particularly helpful was the several inventories (surveys) we did to help measure things like stress, burnout, pastor-church fit, spiritual vitality, leadership strengths and weaknesses. I was surprised to note my stress level was higher than I might have anticipated. I suppose that will be something for me to reflect upon more throughout this sabbatical time. For that matter, I have left North Carolina with several things to ponder and pray about. It was a good experience, but of course I am happy to be home.
Blessings, David
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