“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.” Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Rest is possible for us now as the Light of Christmas and Epiphany shines. The Word made flesh, the light which is not overcome, redeems the whole universe. So, perhaps, just perhaps we can rest from the illusion of our role as “creators.” Maybe we can rest in the remembrance of our freedom from our many captivities. Perhaps we can rest in the knowledge that the One who creates, heals, makes whole and holy is still at work, still speaking into our confused world, still lighting the way on our many and various dark paths, still with us in all things and making all things new.

To rest in such a promise, such a truth, such a present reality, such a hope - this very resting in God can be the beginning of our new lives of compassion and love. To enter into Sabbath rest can bring fresh vitality to Lutheran teacher, Gerhard Forde’s question: “What will you do, now that you don’t have to do anything.” Thanks be to God for the gift of Sabbath rest.

Peace to all of you sisters and brothers in this season of light,

Lee Goodwin +

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The Project Director
The Rev. Dr. Lee Goodwin

Pastor Lee Goodwin has been called by the Northern Great Lakes Synod Council to serve as Director of The Sabbath Project.

Pr. Goodwin has served as a Parish Pastor for over 27 years, 22 of them on the territory of the NGLS. He has served as Pastor Developer of a new mission congregation and has extensive experience as a retreat leader and spiritual director.

He received the B.A. Degree in American Studies from Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn. (1977); the M. Div. from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (1981); and the D. Min. in Spiritual Direction from The Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend, IN (1999) He is also a graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation’s Contemplative Prayer Group Leaders Program (1996) and Spiritual Guidance Program (1999), and has completed the Teaching Practicum in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School(2008).