Sabbath Life

Sabbath Life was developed in 2014 by Rev. Grace Hackney and Kelli Sittser. Since then hundreds of pastors and spiritual leaders have attended these series of monthly one-day retreats with a focus on learning and developing a Sabbath practice, connecting with God in Creation, and connecting with others.

Church in the Wild is excited to host a third year of Sabbath Life Retreats in Upper NY!

Login or create and account and then select “Sky Lake Sabbath Life Retreats 2025”

Hear about the experience from our first year participants:

Sabbath Life retreats will be held the second Monday of each month from May through November at Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center from 10am to 4pm. The dates in 2025 to put on your calendar now!: May 12, June 9, July 14, August 11, September 8, October 13, November 10

Registration cost is $375 for the entire 7-month series.

The program includes a hot lunch and some fresh local produce that is in season for each participant. Clergy are encouraged to use ARP funds. You can also reach out to your district or BOOM for financial support.

To register, click the button below to take you to the Sky Lake registration site. Login or create and account and then select “Sky Lake Sabbath Life Retreats 2025”

The rhythm of a Sabbath Life day includes a time of welcome, engaging Creation, worship and table, rest and recreation in shared silence, and time to reflect and connect.

Quotes from the Sabbath Life creators: “The Church in the United States America is in a time of reformation. The pandemic, along with racial turmoil, and political divisiveness has further brought this to the forefront. We believe that the way clergy order their lives can serve as a witness to their churches and to the world that through Christ, God has given us a better way to live. Standing against the consumerist, “always on” way of life that has strangled many of us to the point that we are literally gasping for air, Sabbath Life is about learning to breathe again, paying attention to and delighting in God’s creation, connecting with God and one another, and taking this way of being into the world.”

“Sabbath Life works to counter exhaustion and burnout by providing a model of Sabbath in which clergy experience delight, rest, and connections with God, each other, and creation. Over the seasons of one year, clergy learn to incorporate sustainable practices that reflect God’s nature of abundance and wholeness, enabling them to lead flourishing lives and ministries.”

Facilitator