On Sunday, August 5, 12 & 19 Bethesda Covenant Church will not hold services. Instead, we are asking that you use this time to worship with other faith communities, enjoy the many spiritual resources of New York City, and spend time in personal reflection with God. Although we will not be physically and geographically together as a local church, we have the opportunity to strengthen our own identity and mission through this process. This is a Sabbath from our “ordinary” worship experiences so that we might be refreshed and renewed as a church and individuals, remembering to whom we belong, and for what purpose. We have provided an explanation of this journey below, along with 3 evaluation tools to aid you in your reflection (you may download the pdf at the end of this article).
What, exactly,is the August Sabbath Journey?
The idea of a Sabbath is biblical and part of God’s plan for all of creation (Genesis 2:1-3). Taking a weekly Sabbath is the fourth of the Ten Commandments, but the desire of God for God’s people to set apart time for reflection, renewal, and re-evaluation of life and faith is a theme one can find throughout scripture.
For example:
“So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God;
for those who enter God's rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs” (Hebrews 4:9-11).
“It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed" (Exodus 31:17)
"If you refrain from trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs; then you shall take delight in the LORD.” (Is.58:13-14).
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” *Matthew 11:28)
And the goal of taking a Sabbath comes from Colossians:
“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:14-17)
There is a common misperception about Sabbath, which says that a Sabbath day is just a “day-off.” A Sabbath is a rest, but it is a cessation of normal work so that one might find delight in God. It is also a freedom, but freedom from everyday life so that one is free to focus on God. It is work, but a different kind of work. In fact, another word for worship is “liturgy” which literally means: work of the people. A Sabbath day is for this kind of work: worship, prayer, and resting in God.
So why might a church take a Sabbath and what makes it a journey?
A Sabbath is part of God’s will for us and we do so in order that we might have time for focusing on a particular part of our faith and life together. This is not just a church taking August “off,” it is opportunity for us to go deeper in our faith by using the time and energy we would have spent going to church and with church responsibilities on reflection concerning our personal faith, how God has been moving in our lives and the life of our church, and where the Holy Spirit is moving in our city.
It is a journey that has three intertwined parts: personal, ecumenical, and communal. We ask that you set apart time to reflect on your personal faith over this past year, visit at least one other church in the city looking for how God is moving, and contemplate how the Spirit has been at work in Bethesda as a whole.
Finally, we ask that you complete your journey by returning home full of stories of realization and experiences of God. We complete our individual journeys by returning to church on the last Sunday of August. This will be a special service of song, sharing of our stories, and prayer. You will get to share and hear of people’s growth and delight, struggle and pain, as we look forward to another year together in which God uses us to further the Kingdom in New York City.
Below are the evaluation tools to aid you in reflecting, finding refreshment, and experiencing renewal:
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Feel free to attend any church of any faith tradition of your choosing. Better yet, bring a friend have a conversation about your experience. Use this as a time for you to grow! If you need a listing of Covenant churches in the New York area, or a list of suggested churches in the United Nations neighborhood, please call the church office at 212.684.2062.
The calendar of events for "August Sabbath Journey" is as follows:
Sun., July 29 – Holy Communion together before we go on our separate Sabbath journeys away from Bethesda Covenant Church.
Sundays, August 5, 12 and 19 – Worship with another community of faith and reflect on your experience; spend personal time with God reviewing this past year.
Sun., August 26 – A Service of Witness and Sharing – Come to worship ready to share your experiences and insights; reflecting on our August Sabbath Journeys together in the presence of God.
