Where Can I Find More Information About Congregational Sabbath?

Q: Where can I find more information about Congregational Sabbath?

Though the idea of Congregational Sabbath (Church Sabbatical) has it's roots in the Bible, it's application has been rarely documented. In fact, only recently has the idea of church-wide Sabbath rest really been a serious player in discussions of church renewal.  Here are some extra-biblical resources that I have found valuable:

1.Linn, Jann G. Reclaiming Evangelism: A Practical Guide for Mainline Churches. St. Louis, MO: chalice Press, 1998. (A great little book where "Year-Long Congregational Sabbatical" is lifted up as the first of eleven steps for authentic church renewal.  Pastor Linn is a pioneer in this movement and a valuable resource for those considering congregational sabbath.)

2.Digby, David, ed. A Concise Compendium, privately printed, 2000 (This little pamphlet documents the congregational sabbath experiences of the First Christian Church of Ames, IA. Great people! Write for a copy:  www.fccames.org)

3. Heschel, Abraham. The Sabbath. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1951 (Probably the very best treatment of Sabbath. His observation that Sabbath is the sanctification of time is a major cornerstone to the application of congregational sabbath.)

4. Rohler, Amy and Adam Rohler, "A Communal Sabbath: One Church's Annual Practice of Rest," Congregations, Spring 2009:33-37 (Great article illustrating one church's annual Sabbath practice.This church, in New York City, shuts its doors for the month of August and encourages it's members to worship in other places. Fascinating real-world experience!)

5. Snook, Geoffrey, Catching an Eddy: Church-Wide Sabath Rest as a Tool for Congregational Renewal. ProQuest Dissertation Publishing, May 2011 (This is my D.Min. Dissertation from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. It includes both the theology of congregational sabbath and the process of implementation in a medium-sized church.  Request your copy by calling ProQuest at 1-800-521-0600, ext. 77020, $34)

6.  Loder, James. The Transforming Moment. San Francisco, CA: Harper, 1981 (A very scholarly argument suggesting that transforming moment happens when we come to the limit of our human strength and understanding for this is the place where God can then be seen to work.  Fun implications for the study of Sabbath which puts us in that same place and takes transformation out of our hands.)

7. Snook, Geoffrey. White Wave Manifesto (Currently unpublished...but I will keep you all posted and check out excerpts on this blog!)

Congregational Sabbath: Less doing. More being.

Photo from www.sxc.hu 620361