Pastor Matt has been diving into his sabbatical leave and has an exciting update to share. In 2019, Saint Luke received a National Clergy Renewal Program grant from the Lilly Foundation to fund a sabbatical for Pastor Matt Staniz. After a long wait and many unexpected set backs, his time of renewal leave is underway and we have the privilege of following along virtually and growing with him during this exciting time.
Pastor Matt brings greetings from Aeropagus Hill in Athens, the site that Paul visited in Acts 17:16-34. The start of Pastor Matt’s travel was delayed by two days after more than a week in isolation with Covid-19 and multiple infections, but he is grateful to begin an extended time of discovery, reflection, and growing connection with his wife Monica and son Michael.
When Paul was distressed by what he saw in Athens (“the city was full of idols”), instead of offering condemnation or retreating away, he intentionally entered into the life around him, including using God’s gifts of intellect/discourse and creativity/arts. (“so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.”).
Questions to Ponder
How might our faith drive us into the world God loves today?
Where is your (or our) “Areopagus”?
How might creativity and the arts remind us that God is in need not far from us?