Practise Sabbath

Welcome to Sabbath

Sabbath comes from a biblical word meaning “to stop”. It was a day every week where God’s people would stop so they could rest, worship, and delight in God. Here’s your invitation into renewing rest with God.

Start FAQ

A simple way to begin

Step 1

Pick when

Mark out a time when you’ll commit to sabbath-ing.

Find out more

Step 2

Pick what

Pick what you’ll do in your Sabbath, and just as importantly what you’ll not do in your Sabbath.

Find out more

Step 3

Prepare

Set aside a little time to prepare so that your Sabbath is truly a Sabbath.

Find out more

Pick when

Pick a time to sabbath. There are three basic options:

• The Christian Sabbath on Sundays, which is ideal because it’s also our day to worship and to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
• The Hebrew Sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.
• A midweek Sabbath if that fits your schedule better.

If an entire day is too much for you, then just start where you are. See if you can set aside three or four hours, maybe after church or on a weekday night, where you switch off your phone and just stop.

When will I sabbath?
How long will I sabbath for?

Pick what

Pick what you’ll do to sabbath – and, just as importantly, what you won’t do. Here are some helpful ideas – not a to-do list, but some activities that you may wish to grow in as you sabbath. Pick one to three that you feel drawn to.

What will I do to sabbath?
What will I not do while I sabbath?

Worship

Spend time in prayer and praise in our church community.

Join us on Sunday

Spend time in nature

Turn off all your devices

Feast

Meet friends

Create

Sing

Spend time alone with God

Play

Prepare

A Sabbath is counter-cultural in a world of noise, distraction, and a task list that’s never quite finished. So it’s a good idea to take some time to prepare so your Sabbath really is a Sabbath.

Here are some things for you to consider:
• Getting your groceries
• Running any urgent errands
• Cleaning or tidying your home
• Making plans to meet family or friends
• Planning your activities of fun, rest, or worship

You can do a little or a lot – it’s all up to you!

How should I prepare?

Got questions?

A Sabbath (from a biblical word meaning “to stop”) is a 24-hour period which is marked out as different from the other days of the week. It’s a time for rest, renewal, and recreation, with space for you and God.

We can’t run without rest. Our lives have a habit of filling up with more things – distraction, work, commitments, stresses. Taking a Sabbath can help put space back into our lives and re-centre us around God.

We get it – we’re busy too! A day of rest, worship, and delight in God can feel difficult in our world of distraction, work, and endless demands on our time. But there are lots of people who’ve made Sabbath work for them. And remember, you don’t have to start ‘perfectly’. Just do what you can, and take little steps forward.

Any day of the week could work, depending on your work pattern, though ideally your Sabbath will make space for worship. Most people find taking a day at the weekend easiest. Those who work weekends generally will try to have a weekday Sabbath.

You could try to make a list of activities which bring delight and refreshment to you, and plan to do at least one during your Sabbath. You could take a nap, eat delicious food, watch the sunrise, or play a game – whatever brings you rest, and helps bring you closer to God.

As Christians, we believe that Sabbath is more than a day to relax. It’s a gift from God himself – to rest, yes, but also to reorient our lives to him and to delight in him. It’s a day to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and the anticipation of our rest with God in Heaven. So we highly encourage you to incorporate prayer and worship into your Sabbath.

No, you can spend your Sabbath in solitude. But one part of renewing rest is the relationships we have with other people, so we encourage you to make time for other people as part of your Sabbath rhythm.

Congratulations! We think it’s great you’ve dived in. Whatever happened for you, we suggest you celebrate your first step, and then reflect on:

• What went well?
• What didn’t go so well?
• What might God be calling me to in my practice of Sabbath?

You don’t need perfect answers – just be honest and open, with yourself and God.

Congratulations! To go deeper, you could consider:

• Building on the activities you’ve chosen for your Sabbath.
• Taking mini-breaks throughout the day.
• Going on a retreat for a few days at a nearby monastery, retreat centre, rural hotel, or holiday home. We can recommend Red Hill Christian Centre near Stratford and also Harnhill Christian Healing Centre near Cirencester.

Explore