Vasquez blogs about sabbatical in Israel

Pastor David Vasquez was selected for a $15,000 grant out of a pool of hundreds of applicants nationwide for the Louisville Institute’s Pastoral Study Program. This grant allows him to take a year-long sabbatical to travel and research, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely disconnected from Luther.

Currently, Vasquez is at Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, conducting research and traveling in the Palestinian Territories.

Vasquez stays connected to Luther through updating the Web site,
http://migratingfaith.blogspot.com
and keeping a blog. Some of his contributions include a Lenten series of reflections on lectionary texts.

“One of the public parts of my sabbatical is a Web site I have developed in cooperation with the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services,” Vasquez said.

“Faith on the Move,”
http://faithonthemove.ning.com,
is intended to make materials that Vasquez has developed available to a wider audience, including interviews, Bible studies and sermons. It also provides a place for people interested in the intersection between faith and immigration to connect and learn about the issues they present.

“People on the Move” will conclude his one-year sabbatical project to connect biblical narratives with contemporary migration narratives by developing materials based on interviews, community forums and small group Bible studies.

“I want to focus the final three months of my sabbatical [on] making those insights available to congregations through online Bible study and preaching resources,” Vasquez said.

Though miles away, Vasquez hopes that much of his work and research will not only affect the issues of immigration at large, but also come around to benefit the Luther community.

“I am deeply appreciative to the college community, particularly my colleagues in College Ministries, for this incredible opportunity,” Vasquez said. “I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to focus on a project that connects my academic interest, ministry passion and personal commitments.”