Pastor Mark will be taking a planned sabbatical this summer from May 26th – August 24th. Below are some answers to commonly-asked questions.

Pastoral sabbaticals are very common. In addition to annual leave, many Churches offer pastors an extended break based on number of years of service. When Mark joined West Valley in 2015, we agreed to provide a three-month sabbatical every seven years. A sabbatical is different from a study leave since the focus is on rest rather than writing or other ministry projects. 

Our own denominational agency, Geneva Benefits, describes the benefits of regular pastoral sabbaticals as follows: 

“God created us to work and rest... Unfortunately, due to the nature of the job, it is often difficult for pastors to unplug from their work and rest. For many, rest feels selfish, like choosing your own needs over the needs of others… Sabbaticals offer pastors and their families invaluable seasons of rest by offering time away from the duties and pressures of ministry. During this time, they can focus on themselves, their families, and their relationship with God. Once completed, they can return to their congregation refreshed and renewed for the next season of ministry.” – genevabenefits.org/sabbaticals

As well as benefiting the pastor, sabbaticals also present an opportunity for the officers and members to become involved in ministry in new ways.

The aim is to provide space for rest and renewal. Mark has set some personal goals in three main areas: running, reading and reconnecting. These include: training to run a half marathon; reading some good theology, history and fiction (with his family); and travelling to visit family.

We have already organized preachers for every week Mark is away. Guest preachers include a range of local PCA pastors such as David Henry (CEF and Bridge Church, Easton); Ron Zeigler (Ministry to State, Harrisburg); Michael Goodlin (RUF Lehigh); Jim Lovelady (Serge); Dan Ledford (Cornerstone). Our Ministry Apprentice, Stephen Nolin and two of our elders, John Strickland and Tae Kim will also be preaching. See below for the summer preaching schedule.

One of our visiting pastors will administer the Lord’s supper once a month. Check the preaching schedule for more details. 

Please contact your assigned ‘shepherding’ elder with any pastoral needs. If this elder is unavailable, you can contact your assigned deacon. If you are unsure of which elder and deacon are assigned to you, review the list on the church bulletin board or contact elders@westvalleypres.org. 

Shepherding groups have been reassigned and your new shepherding elder will be in touch soon. Updated information is also available on the bulletin board. 

If such a need arises, we already have coordinated with local pastors within our Presbytery who are ready and able to help. 

You can either contact your ministry team leader or email our office at office@westvalleypres.org.

The aim is to provide space for rest and refreshment. Considering this, we kindly ask that you do not contact Mark or Cherilyn directly while they are away. Mark will not be responding to email or text messages. If an extraordinary situation arises, the elders will decide whether it is appropriate to contact Mark. Please speak to your shepherding elder for more information. 

Some people fear a pastor may not return after a sabbatical. This occasionally happens so we thought it was worth tackling head on. Mark has no intention of leaving, and our elders have no intention of replacing him while he’s away! Everything is subject to God’s will, but we are committed to providing stable and consistent leadership now and in the future. 

The elders are currently working with Church of the Good Shepherd to ensure consistency and stability over the next year. This includes maintaining our current  Sunday morning schedule. We are not planning to make any major changes to our services or ministries while Mark is away. 

We are excited to see what the Lord will do as we trust him in this season. We expect to be encouraged by faithful, Biblical, Christ-centered preaching from our guests. We are praying the Lord will help us all become more involved and invested in the Lord’s work at West Valley. While you may be tempted to use this time to explore other churches, we encourage you to stay connected and continue worshipping with us. We will need your help welcoming any visitors while Mark is away!

The elders are still discussing plans for fellowship  over the summer. Look out for more information soon!

Before the sabbatical starts, we will be hosting a cook-out at church on Saturday, May 24th. At this event we’ll hear more about the Howards’ plans and pray for them and for our church. Following the sabbatical, we are planning to welcome the Howards back at our church picnic on Sunday, August 31st. Look out for more details over the next few months.

Pray for rest and refreshment. Pray for safe travels and that the Lord will use this time to help them reconnect with Him, with one another and with extended family. They will very much miss being an active part of our church family while they are away!