Dear City Gates family
Thank you so much for your ongoing commitment to help people find and follow Jesus through your participation and partnership in our church – however great or small it may be! We can hardly believe that it’s been over 7 years since my family took on the assignment to move to Canada where I was to transition the leadership of City Gates. It has been a rich display of God’s grace, yet not without its challenges.
As many of you know, I will be starting my 12 week sabbatical this week. My family and I are so grateful to the elders and to our church for allowing us some time to stop, rest and be refreshed in God’s presence and in each others company. As I string together this bunch of consecutive sabbath days, I trust that the Lord will replenish us, and myself in particular, for many more cycles and seasons of serving His church!
What will it look like for me and my family?
My time away will include a trip with Tanya in celebration of our 20th year in marriage, a family holiday with the kids, as well as spending time with old friends. I will even lodge at a monastery for a few nights, with much of it in silence and solitude with the Lord! I will have a spiritual director check in with me periodically, and our marriage will also be invested in through attending a couples retreat.
What will it look like for City Gates?
As you may have gathered, this time will include a lot of intentional “ceasing” from activities that would tie me to my vocation. In anticipation of this, please know that our family will be “off the grid” in terms of communication and interaction. I will not answer emails, take phone calls, or be on social media.
In our absence, City Gates will remain in the very capable hands of elders, deacons, community group, and serving team leaders that we trust completely! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to them, as they are “standing by” :)
Much love.
Vic, Tanya and their kids.
P.S. More context on what a sabbatical is, and why we are doing it, can be found in this video:
