SABBATICAL
Spiritual Renewal at Eastern Star Church
Eastern Star Church has made a momentous, heartfelt decision for spiritual renewal as important as any decision ever made in the life of the church. As part of an expression of our gratitude for 31 years of service at Eastern Star Church, we are presenting the gift of a sabbatical to Senior Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., and Lady Sharon A. Johnson.
A pastoral sabbatical is an extended period of time when a pastor pulls away from the day-to-day practices of ministry to focus on their spiritual development and return with renewed energy for ministry. The sabbatical will start in June 2021, and we are in the planning stages to ensure that biblical principles, prayer, thought and careful planning makes this decision a blessing to everyone involved.
The plan also calls for the entire church, including staff, to take a time of sabbath. Our plan (download guide below) will allow the pastor and congregation to be blessed by spiritual renewal and motivate us to move forward to the next years of ministry that God has laid before us.
A pastoral sabbatical is a major decision and we rejoice that God has given us the ability to bless our pastor, church and congregation!
JOIN US IN EXPERIENCING SABBATH IN 2021
Eastern Star Church is encouraging its members, friends and the community to join us in heeding God’s invitation to “Come, let us rest for awhile.” We ask that you come alongside us as we study and meditate on God’s word, and challenge ourselves to incorporate Sabbath into our day-to-day lives. Download the guide to learn more.
Sabbatical Check-In with Sr. Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr
Vacation Bible School
In the year of the Sabbatical, join Eastern Star Church for Vacation Bible School! Gather around with your family and or friends on July 20th, 21st, and 22nd for devotionals on God’s Rest. Download the booklet below for the VBS Booklet.
A Special Interview About ESC’s Sabbatical Gift
Sabbatical Leaders for Eastern Star Church
Frank A. Thomas, PHD, currently serves as the Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Professor of Homiletics at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, Indiana and the director of the very first PhD program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric.
Dr. Frank A. Thomas
Dr. Frank A. Thomas is a prolific author with his latest book released in 2018, How to Preach a Dangerous Sermon. Presently he is working its anticipated 2020 sequel, How to Survive a Dangerous Sermon.
Thomas served as the senior pastor for two remarkable congregations: New Faith Baptist Church of Matteson, Illinois, and Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church of Memphis, Tennessee, for eighteen years and thirteen years, respectively.
Thomas and his wife, the Rev. Dr. Joyce Scott Thomas, each earned their Certified Professional Coaching Certificate (CPC) from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and are passionate about coaching pastors, pastor’s spouses, and in the area of preaching.
Photo taken after announcing the Sabbatical to the Cooper Road Campus congregation. (left to right): Senior Pastor, Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., Lady Sharon Johnson, Elder Lukau Matuka and Elder James Poore, II
“An Everlasting Gift” - Church Council
As part of Eastern Star Church’s Sunday services on Oct. 13, 2019, church leaders presented Senior Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., and Lady Sharon A. Johnson with what they described as a priceless gift — a six-month sabbatical.
In presenting the gift in recognition of Pastor Johnson’s 31 years of ministry at Eastern Star Church, Elders Lukau Matuka and James Poore said the sabbatical is the gift of time.
Church members at Eastern Star Church’s Fishers and Cooper Road campuses gave Pastor Johnson and Lady Sharon an enthusiastic ovation in recognition of their endless service.
The sabbatical is planned for June 2021, with Pastor Johnson returning in December 2021.