Canon Shoulders Plans Sabbatical

Norm Morford to Assist

 

After Easter, and after conducting the Journey in Faith Easter Retreat,

Canon David Shoulders plans to be absent for most of April, May and June for

a planned sabbatical leave. During sabbatical, he plans a Celtic Pilgrimage

to Ireland to visit places where the Church made important strides in the

historic spread of the Christian faith unrelated to British or continental

Christianity. Upon returning, he plans some woodworking and the construction

of a Zuckerman Instruments, 45-note, fretted clavichord, as well as visits

to his siblings in Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan, and Ruth¹s father and

brother in Tennessee. His sabbatical agenda is organized around the idea of

“Reconnecting”.  Reconnecting with the Celtic roots of Anglican spirituality,

with an unfulfilled early love of woodworking and making music, and with

family at a time not dominated by weddings, illness, or funerals. Clergy, in

general, routinely have had to let go of various interests and hobbies and

miss many family get-togethers as they serve their churches, and this

sabbatical is an opportunity for David to reconnect with important pieces of

his and the Church¹s history. Grants from the Diocesan Wellness program and

Cathedral continuing education funds make this sabbatical possible.

 

During his leave, the Rev. Norman Morford has been asked to join the

Cathedral staff to care for the pastoral and liturgical needs of the

Cathedral parish. Norm will assist with worship, but much of his time will

be out and about, calling all the sick and home-bound. Norm is currently in

Costa Rica immersed in a Spanish language program so that he may also

minister within the Spanish-speaking congregation here when Canon Alfredo

Williams takes his sabbatical leave later this summer. Be sure to welcome

Norm and his wife, Pam, and stand by for stories from David¹s sabbatical.

 

Why two sabbaticals so close together? The Cathedral provides its clergy and

some program staff with a sabbatical opportunity every five years for the

purpose of renewing them for ministry. Five years ago we had the unusual

circumstance of adding our three associate clergy to the staff in a four

month period, and they are all due some time away for study and refreshment.

Canon Kate Cullinane has graciously agreed to delay her sabbatical until a

later date, but she has an exciting trip to holy Christian sites in Africa

planned. Look for more about her plans in future issues of Good News.