Sabbatical Season 2026 – Grounded In Resilience – First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Grounded In Resilience – Jer. 29:11: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. (NRSV)

We are living in a time when resilience will be crucial to the future of ministry—both within and beyond the walls of the congregation. The challenges ahead will be unprecedented in recent history, demanding a renewed commitment to adaptability, strength, and hope. Lessons from queer resilience, as well as from our personal histories, can serve as powerful sources of wisdom to invigorate congregations, pastors, and their wider communities. Sustaining our spiritual resilience means choosing hope over dread and moving forward with those who stand beside us in the present. Resilience, at its core, is the ability to “bounce back” from adversity.

From September 1 to November 30, 2026, Pastor Dan will listen to queer voices across Europe and the United States, seeking common threads of resilience that can be woven into his ministry and the life of First Christian Church Minneapolis. During the European portion, he will also meet the majority of his Adolphson relatives for the very first time; his adoptive father’s ancestors emigrated from Småland, Sweden, to South Dakota in 1888 and 1915, fleeing the hardships of farming in a densely forested land where rapid population growth made survival difficult. He will also spend time relaxing on the North Shore, in South Dakota and California with family, and other locations around the U.S.

During this time, the First Christian Church community will hear from a variety of voices around the sabbatical theme of resilience. Take a moment to get to know our guest preachers and presenters: