Sisters pastor sets out on sabbatical journey

On the first of March, Pastor Ron Gregg of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Sisters, will depart on a three-month sabbatical journey through four nations. He will be accompanied by his wife, Ellen Wood, as they seek cross-cultural experience in a multi-faith, multicultural world.

The Lilly Foundation Clergy Renewal Program awarded a grant to the church and the pastor for this opportunity "to engage in a period of renewal and reflection." The foundation sponsors 40 grants a year, with the goal of "strengthening congregations by providing opportunities for pastors to step away from their persistent obligations" and partake of intentional exploration and reflection.

The grant is not considered a vacation, but a time to regain enthusiasm for creativity in the ministry of a pastor. Gregg and Wood plan to visit with clergy of many faiths, hoping to record question-and-answer sessions in these encounters.

"We as Christians need to work on sharing faith narratives, deepen mutual understanding and celebrate the gifts and rich traditions of other faiths with respect and understanding," said Gregg. "This focused journey will allow me to help create better dialogue and communication with my own church fellowship and pastors of other churches."

For the past two years, Gregg has hosted a weekly study of world religions at the Lutheran church, welcoming the participation of the general public. The group has studied the history and philosophies of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.

Carmen Hall, who has attended all the classes, explained the benefits of this study: "As our world becomes smaller and our country more diverse in culture and religion, the world religions classes have helped me understand the religious beliefs of others, and have also strengthened my own Christian faith."

Nancy and Ron Mohler share this appreciation. Ron Mohler said, "I lectured and led research around the globe during my career as a university professor, which included professors and students from practically all faiths and customs. Numerous participants worked and lived with me during which time we exchanged our concepts on these topics as well as science. However, Pastor Ron Gregg recently played a key role in my integration of these experiences with Christianity and other world religions in general."

Gregg and Wood will spend their first two weeks in Thailand, visiting landmark religious sites and even do some hiking and camping in the Khao Sok National Park. Wood has a cousin in Thailand who is married to a practicing Buddhist. She and Gregg hope this family connection will help them become immersed in the people, practices and places of Thai Buddhism.

With the Lilly Foundation recommendation that one fourth of the sabbatical be used as a time of personal rejuvenation, the couple will spend the next part of their travels in Bali sightseeing and visiting temples. UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has many world heritage sites in Bali, including many of the most ornate and beautiful representations of Hindu temples.

Gregg expects that the third leg of the journey may be the most fascinating. Turkey is a land of Islam and is also a democracy, which Gregg notes is unusual in Muslim countries. He is familiar with Muslim traditions because in 1981 he lived with a Muslim family in Cameroon, Africa, while serving as a missionary. The archeology and geography of Turkey include many sites relevant to Christian history, an aspect the couple will greet with great anticipation.

With Israel as the final destination, Gregg and Wood find the community of Neve Shalom-Wahat al Shalom particularly interesting. This unique community, with a Hebrew and Arabic name meaning Oasis of Peace, has Jewish and Palestinian residents who have made a determined effort to co-exist, educate their children together and share a spirit of equality, respect and understanding. There is excitement for Gregg and Wood in experiencing interfaith dialogue and hospitality in religions known for their incompatibility.

Gregg, who has visited Israel in the past, is looking forward to spending time with Ellen hiking the countryside and meeting local people. The couple are avid hikers who expect this time to be a jewel in their travels.

Gregg has served as a pastor for 32 years, 23 of them at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Sisters. The church and its leadership are very supportive of this sabbatical.

"Our congregation is very pleased about this opportunity for Pastor Ron," said Paul Janssen, church council president. Janssen has also been a student in the world religions classes.

Pastor Richard Schmidtke of Portland will serve as the interim pastor at Shepherd of the Hills while Gregg is absent.

The church will honor Pastor Gregg at a special service of blessing on February 24 at 10 a.m. A potluck luncheon following the service is open to all church members and guests. The fellowship welcomes any friends of the couple who would like to participate on this day of celebration.