Following Elijah’s Path to Renewal
Pastor Joseph’s Sabbatical

For more than twelve years, Pastor Joseph has poured himself into our student ministry. In that time he has laughed with a lot of goofy teenagers—my own kids included—and walked alongside countless families. He has shown up week after week to teach, listen, and point students to Jesus. He has celebrated milestones and victories, and he has also stepped into some of the heaviest moments a pastor can carry.

There have been late-night conversations when a student’s world was falling apart, quiet visits in hospital rooms, and even funerals for young people we loved. Ministry in that space is a sacred privilege, but it is also costly. Joseph has carried the highs and lows of it with faithfulness and compassion.

Because of that, our elders sensed that it was time to give Joseph and his family a dedicated season of Sabbath rest. We have commissioned the month of March as a sabbatical, a time for Joseph to step away from his regular duties so that he and his wife, Jess, can focus on being together with their kids, Maisie and Shiloh. Our hope is that this will be a space where they can truly rest, recover, and be renewed.

When I think about this, I am reminded of the story of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18–19. After a powerful victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah found himself completely exhausted and discouraged. God did not scold him for being tired; instead, the Lord met him in the wilderness, gave him food and sleep, and then spoke to him with a gentle voice. God restored Elijah’s body and spirit and gave him a fresh vision for what came next.

That is our prayer for Joseph and Jess. As they stepped away for these few weeks, they admitted that it would be hard not to be in the middle of everything here, but they were also looking forward to unhurried time as a family and to coming back reinvigorated for many more years of ministry. We want this sabbatical to be a gift that strengthens them for the long haul.

I would love to invite you to join me in praying for the Furnos during this season. Ask the Lord to separate them from distractions, to refresh their bodies, minds, and spirits, and to draw them closer to Him and to one another. Pray that God would speak clearly, renew their sense of calling, and use this time for His glory and the good of our students. As we support them in rest, we trust that God will continue to build His kingdom here at Community Church.

Don George,
Executive Pastor