Pastor Mark took a pastoral sabbatical from May 14 through August 13, 2026.  Pastor Mark has completed 34 years of full-time pastoral ministry and has been serving our faith community for the past 8 years. This was a planned time of rest, renewal, and spiritual growth, providing space for reflection, study, and rejuvenation that sustains long-term ministry. During this time, our church will continue its ministries and worship life with the support of retired pastors connected to Advent, along with our staff, Church Council, and the active participation of the congregation.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Many of these questions came from members over the past two years during which time Advent approved a sabbatical policy and Council approved Pastor Mark’s plan for his sabbatical time. We hope they will answer most of your questions and address any concerns.

Why is this a good thing for a pastor?

A sabbatical provides an opportunity for Pastor Mark to rest, rejuvenate, and grow both personally and professionally. The time away leads to improved mental and physical health for a pastor, fostering creativity and preventing burnout. The congregation recognizes that a refreshed pastor can better serve the congregation upon their return - bringing new insights, energy, and passion to their ministry. 

Why is this a good thing for a church community?

A sabbatical for the pastor does not have to be met with anxiety or church paralysis. A sabbatical can provide an opportunity for discovering new strengths for ministry within the congregation and watching authentic growth in individuals as they discover how their own particular gifts can benefit the church, even after the pastor’s return. A sabbatical will also allow a reset of a congregation’s roles and responsibilities during Pastor's absence and give them an opportunity to stretch their lay leadership capabilities.

Why was this a good thing now?

Pastor Mark has completed 34 years of full-time pastoral ministry and has been serving our faith community for the past 8 years. Prior to 2026, Pastor Mark had never taken a sabbatical. As a congregation we approved a sabbatical policy in 2024 and believe that a sabbatical will allow Pastor Mark now and other pastors going forward to continue to serve our congregation with renewed energy and ideas. 

We have been blessed to have a highly competent staff, leadership team, and ministry leaders who can lead in his absence. Summer is usually a good time for a pastor’s sabbatical since church programs and events are more casual and less frequent. This timing also allows a pastor to be back in time for full participation in the normally busy fall ministry season.

How long and when will the sabbatical be?

The typical sabbatical lasts three months. Pastor Mark was "farewelled" after the worship service on May 10th and returned to Advent for the August 16th worship service.

Who covers a pastor’s duties while they are gone?

Normally a network of supply pastors will be engaged to provide worship and pastoral care support. In Advent's case in 2026, we are blessed to have multiple retired pastors within our congregation. They know our congregation well and we were well-served by their preaching and caring for our members during this time. Our Church council led by council President Amy Coll continued to function as normal in overseeing the operation of our church.  There were some unforeseen wrinkles along the way, but steady leadership kept things on an even keel.

• Worship Services
  
  Pastor Stephen Godsall-Myers and Pastor David Lutcher  covered all our worship services. The sabbatical occurred during the time when Advent has one worship service at 9:30 am.
  
  Pastor Stephen Godsall-Myers served as Advent’s pastor for 6 years from 2010 to 2016. He and his wife Jean returned to Advent as active members in 2023. In addition to the occasional preaching at Advent, Steve has provided Bible Study sessions and led numerous Adult Forum discussions. 
  
  Pastor David Lutcher joined Advent with his wife Robin in 2019, following retirement from Grace Lutheran in Hatfield.  He has served congregations in Northeastern and Southeastern PA Synods as well as Bear Creek Camp for 44 years. He currently serves as part-time Visitation Pastor at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Audubon. 
  
  
• Pastoral Care
  
  Pastor Jo Wilhelmson handled pastoral care activities along with Pastor Sue MacFadden and some lay volunteers. Funerals were be covered by Pastor Steve, Pastor David, or Pastor Jo. Anyone who required pastoral care during the sabbatical time could call the church office; if a call came after hours, it was transferred to someone who could assist. 
  
  

  Pastor Jo Wilhelmson served as Advent’s pastor for 12 years from 1996 to 2008. She and her husband Stan returned to Advent as members in 2011. Jo continues to serve Advent in many ways including as a member of our Welcome Team. 

  (One of the unforeseen wrinkles encountered was Pr. Jo's injury, surgery, and rehabilitation following a cycling accident. She was back managing information about pastoral care needs and provided in-person ministry as her condition permitted during her rehab time.)

  
  Pastor Sue MacFadden served as pastor at Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit in Emmaus for 18 years before retiring. She became a member at Advent in 2019 and serves on the Worship and Music ministry team and as a lector. 

• Administration/Operational Decisions
  
  Council and the Sabbatical Team assigned most of the identified responsibilities within the congregation. The goal is to identify individuals who can assist in coverage of some specific activities. It is an opportunity to consider helping out if you are asked or offer your services to a member of the Sabbatical Team or Church Council.
  
  

Will the Church Staff being doing more?

Originally, the intention was that our dedicated staff would continue to perform their roles and no additional work activities will be required of them. The plan called for some process adjustments within the Office Administrator Role as it relates to preparation for worship services but otherwise this is an opportunity for lay people within the congregation to assume new responsibilities and to not expect more to be done by our staff during the sabbatical. This part of the plan experienced another of the unforeseen wrinkles when our Office Admin chose to resign to take another position; for the short term, some of the OA responsibilities were taken on by church staff and some by volunteers. An upshot of the experience has been splitting off the financial responsibilities of the OA and creating a separate bookkeeper position.

What if someone truly has an emergency?

The answer is the same during a sabbatical as any other time: Call the church office at 215-256-9941. During office hours either the Admin or a member of the staff will answer and will be direct the matter to the appropriate person. If you call after hours, either the call will transfer to someone who can assist you or you will have the opportunity to leave a voice mail, and whoever is providing coverage at the time will be informed of the message and will call back promptly. 

Can I still call or text the pastor while they are on sabbatical?

Sadly, no. For the Sabbatical to be of the greatest value and reflection, the pastor will not be reachable from the congregation. The intention is  to disengage from email, phone, and social media. All responsibilities and concerns that the pastor handles will be delegated to appropriate sabbatical coverage pastors, Advent Council, Staff, and Members during this period.

Can I contact the pastor's family?

If the pastor's family is remaining local, you may see them in worship or in the community, so please feel free to say hello as a friend and spiritual companion in Christ. Ask them about their family or any other sort of topic that you would talk to a friend about. Remember, they are still a part of our family! You can respect the sabbatical by not talking church business.

What does the pastor do during this time away?

The pastor will find a location appropriate to their goals for the sabbatical. For his 2026 sabbatical, Pastor Mark chose a location in Upper Michigan, which afforded him the opportunity to spend his sabbatical time learning, growing, resting, connecting, reading, and creatively planning for future sermons.

Is a pastor taking a sabbatical a sign that they intend to leave the church? 

Advent’s sabbatical policy requires that any pastor taking a sabbatical will commit to return to Advent for a minimum of two years. Pastor Mark  made that commitment in writing to Council before the 2026 sabbatical. Pastor Mark is not updating his resume, searching for other jobs or moving across the country. He is not ill. This sabbatical has been a joyful blessing for him, his family and for Advent. We must trust the work God will do in us and in him as we look forward to his future years at Advent. 

How can we best support a pastor during their time away? 

In a word, PRAYER!

• Pray that the pastor’s time with God will be filled with refreshment, goodness, love and truth. Pray that God will give the pastor insight and perspective, to receive His love more fully and love Him more deeply, in a way that overflows to his life, leadership and our ministry.
  
  
• Pray for the pastor’s family during the sabbatical time. Pray that they would benefit from this time as well.
  
  
• Pray for our Advent staff, church council, sabbatical coverage pastors, and other lay leaders as they continue to serve our Advent faith community.
  
  
• Pray for all our members during sabbatical time that they might be empowered to step up and serve in new ways. As a congregation we pray for our renewal and look for new opportunities of service as individuals and as a congregation. Help us to be unified in our mission and vision, we have a strong sense of where God is leading us before, during and after this sabbatical time.
  
  

How can I make a sabbatical successful for Advent?

In addition to praying (see above), a successful sabbatical is dependent upon participation by the congregation. The pastor’s absence during a sabbatical provides a new opportunity for the congregation to realize that “we are the church!” Allow this to be a time when you are able to embrace this concept

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Volunteer to support our worship service and participate in church events. Invite a friend to Advent worship or any event and be supportive of our Church Council and staff. Perhaps this is a time you could volunteer for a few hours a week to provide additional assistance in the office.

I have more questions! Who can I talk to?

Anyone on Council or the Sabbatical Team will be happy to discuss the sabbatical with you and answer your questions – feel free to reach out to us!

Council: Amy Coll, Zach Boyer, Rich Lantz, Diana McClure, Bruce Rhoades, Judi Greene, Lora Drenth, Helen Nace, Teresa Feeser

Sabbatical Team – Steve Nevin, Carl Dahlgren, Amy Hammond, Judi Greene