Robin and I are grateful for the sabbatical opportunity given to us by the Central Region board. As we begin our 40th year in ministry, this was our first sabbatical experience which required us to glean from others who had experienced this wonderful gift. Here are some of our discoveries we would like to share with you:

  • Sabbaticals are not a recent invention as mainline churches have long incorporated them into the flow of a pastor’s life and service. However, sabbaticals are newer to the Pentecostal movement.
  • Sabbaticals should be built into the policy of the local church or the region so that it is not reinvented in each new season. Considerations should include how much time is allowed, what financial assistance is available for the sabbatical, who is in the chain of command while the pastor is away, how do we protect the pastor from emails, texts, and phone calls, etc.
  • Sabbaticals need to be mutually timed right for the benefit of the pastor and family as well as for the local church or ministry.
  • A sabbatical plan should be developed for the person and family involved so that the goals are met and the pastor returns healthy and ready to serve.

Our sabbatical was designed in three parts – Rest, Refresh, and Reset. There were specific activities for each portion of the sabbatical to help us reach these goals. We returned from our sabbatical energized and better equipped to continue pursuing the mission and vision of the region and extremely grateful to our leaders for this  special gift!

Blessings,

Bruce Pfadenhauer

Central Region Executive Director

CONGRATULATIONS

Pastor Peter and Cheyenne Otis, Swea City, IA, welcomed Archer Otis into their world at 9:57 PM on April 5, 2023! Congratulations to the Otis family!

Vince McCarty, Director of Global Missions for OBC and Interim President of INSTE Bible College, graduated with his Master’s Degree from Wheaton College on Saturday, May 6, 2023.

COMFORT

Isaac Vandi, brother of Pastor Steven Vandi, Mesquite, TX, passed away in Liberia, West Africa, following a car accident. Isaac was a minister and was distributing fliers for an evangelistic campaign.

Sandra Holmes Smith, mother of Pastor Gary Smith, Sedalia, MO, passed away April 1, 2023. – Here is a link to her obituary

Thuong Kham Lo, father of Dara Rasavanh– Open Bible missionary to Thailand, passed away April 7, 2023 in Des Moines, IA. Here is a link to his obituary – Here is the link to his obituary.

Collette Lewis, mother of Pastor Chad Cummings, Jefferson, IA, passed away April 19, 2023. No services were planned.