Sabbatical

Hi Paul,
Southwark Diocese seem quite keen on Sabbaticals - and I was told to aim for rest and spiritual refreshment, which was liberating.
It’s a bit soon still to see what God is doing, but my immediate reaction is: (a) he has given us much to praise him for, and we spent a lot of time in awe of his handiwork (in creation, new creation, and sovereignty over events) (b) he has shown himself to be able to do immeasurably more than we asked or imagined, © we have seen the impact of the Gospel of salvation by faith in Christ alone in people’s lives in all sorts of ways, and been able to encourage by sharing our own testimony, (d) the churches we visited were similar to St L in their size, and we were like ambassadors of St L’s (as well as Christ) as we travelled and shared stories of Christ at work.
It was an amazing experience, quite probably unrepeatable, and our minds are still blown by it all.
David

Looks as if it’s been a fantastic trip. Sabbaticals are a wonderful gift but so helpful in sustaining and enriching ministry. I know the C of E doesn’t strongly advocate them, so it’s great that you’ve been able to do this. What would you say has God done for you through this experience? What have you learned / received / take back to the UK?