The Send Off

On Sunday morning, August 17, we baptized a baby boy - Connor! - and then we said prayers and blessings over our sabbatical, both for Adam and me and for the congregation. One of them was:

Almighty God, in Israel’s pilgrimage through the wilderness you gathered a People of God. Our sister and brother will travel far from this community but never out of your sight or our hearts. We thank you for the care and love they will receive on their journey and for lighting their path back to us. Bless us who stay with joy and steadfastness of heart until we celebrate their return. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who is our path, our destination, and our companion on the way. Amen.

(from Changes - a book of prayers of life changes that I can't remember the details for posting here...)

They congregation gave me a book for praying the daily office while I travel (which I don't have a photo of yet) and also a bracelet of tiny Benedict medals, which I've worn on my wrist:

And sometimes on my ankle:

Anyway, our sabbatical team - Tish, Esther, and Bill - brought us to the station in Naperville to put us on the train. Complete with parting gifts of a bottle of red wine and a bag of Cheetos. (This is an old joke about our marriage.)

And so, off we went!