In 2004, the Conejo elders adopted a ministerial leave policy for our ministers that recognizes the need to replenish ministry capacity and to refill the wells of inspiration and creativity through purposeful time away. The idea behind a ministerial leave is that every seven years or so, ministers need a longer period to disengage from their ministerial duties and commitments for the purposes of reflection, renewal, respite, self-care, and spiritual growth. Conejo’s policy allows for a three-month ministerial leave for each seven-year period of full-time service.
Since our wonderful experience as a visiting faculty family in Florence in 2019, Carrie and I have been praying about a similar opportunity for my upcoming ministerial leave. Two years ago, I broached the possibility with the Conejo elders about another semester abroad experience as part of my 2026 ministerial leave. Last June, we learned that Carrie had been selected as the visiting faculty for Pepperdine University’s program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her appointment is for January through April of 2026. With the elders’ blessing, I am planning on taking my ministry leave during this time frame, joining Carrie in working with fifty students for that semester abroad.
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, is called the Paris of South America due to its strong European influence, particularly in architecture and culture, stemming from Italian and Spanish immigration. This influence is evident in the city’s grand buildings, wide boulevards, and café culture. Our time in Argentina will enable me to do many activities that bring nourishment and renewal to my spirit. First, we’ll be porteños (what residents of Buenos Aires call themselves) with a front row seat to Buenos Aires in all its cultural, historical, architectural, and ethnic diversity. Most of our weekdays will be spent here, the 21st largest city in the world, where I’ll explore various neighborhoods, historic sites, cathedrals, and cultural attractions that are easily accessible by Subte (subway). There are many parks to explore on foot and abundant cafés to frequent for reading, writing, and conversations.
Second, Pepperdine’s program sponsors one week-long educational field trip and provides several long weekends for personal travel, which we’ll take full advantage of. We anticipate visiting several Argentine destinations, including Jujuy/Cafayate, El Calafate/Ushuaia, and Bariloche. I’m particularly excited to see penguins and glaciers in the Patagonia region. Outside of Argentina we’re considering trips to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Montevideo (Uruguay), and Machu Picchu (Peru).
With more than eight months remaining before our departure, I would invite your prayers for our preparations. For me, please pray for opportunities to become a student again, to refresh my spiritual calling, to reflect more deeply, to pray less hurriedly, to sharpen my Spanish, to travel and read more widely, and to think afresh. For our congregation, please pray for the blessings that will come from hearing a wider variety of voices from the pulpit and for the opportunities afforded for others to lead and serve in new ways. In all these things, may God be glorified.
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