Bishop Lanette at AC 2025.

To the Beloved People of the Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Sustainer, Jesus Christ.

One of the most enduring gifts of our Wesleyan tradition is the question that continues to echo across generations: How is it with your soul? These words are not meant to prompt a quick response or a polite, “I’m fine.” They offer a sacred invitation – a call to remember who we are and whose we are, and to return to the wellspring that sustains us when the world demands more than we can give.

Over these last 33 years of ministry, I’ve come to understand that soul care is not a luxury – it is a holy necessity. In a world where expectations press hard upon us, whether from within or without, we can too easily neglect the very practices that ground us. Even the most faithful among us can find ourselves scanning our calendars, wondering how and when we’ll fit in time for sabbath, let alone extended renewal.

I am especially grateful for the leadership of Diane Owen in our episcopal area and her unwavering commitment to clergy and lay well-being. Through her work and voice, I hear a steady reminder: when we live untethered from sabbath, when we press forward without pause, we risk disconnection – from ourselves, from others, and from the God who longs to meet us in stillness, recreation, renewal, and rest.

I write to you not only as your bishop, but as a fellow sojourner – one who is actively seeking to serve from a place of wholeness rather than depletion. My own rule of life is guided by three questions I pray through daily:

How might I glorify God today?

Where might I point others toward Christ?

At the end of the day: Have I loved?

These questions are not just outward-facing measures of ministry – they are inward markers of faithfulness. And I’ve found that I cannot answer them with full integrity unless I am also making intentional space to reflect, to reconnect, and to be renewed by grace.

That is why I will be stepping away for an intentional time of renewal during portions of July and August. This time is not an escape from responsibility; it is an act of stewardship – of my calling, my soul, and of the leadership I offer to this connection. It is a season to seek God’s glory more deeply, to sit in the presence of Christ with greater stillness, and to set out – if only for a time – on an adventure of loving God with heart, soul, mind, and strength.

This time away has been carefully planned, with episcopal coverage in place through the support of trusted colleagues because tending to the soul of the bishop also means ensuring the care and continuity of the conferences we serve together. I share my plan with you not just as a good personal practice, but as a shared witness: the church is healthiest when her leaders – and her people – are rooted in rhythms of rest, reflection, and restoration.

We are, after all, a liturgical people – a people of rhythm, rites, and rituals – a people who long to live faithfully in a world marked by noise, urgency, trauma, and weariness.

So, I invite you to consider:

Where are you tending your soul?

What rhythms are giving you life - and which ones are draining it?

When was the last time you were still enough to hear your name spoken by the God of love?

I hope this summer you will find ways to rest without guilt, to play without worry, to worship without hurry. I hope you’ll rediscover joy – that you’ll laugh, wander, nap, read, and pray. And perhaps you’ll even try the sacred act the Scots call hurkle-durkling – lingering in bed after waking, not out of laziness, but to savor the gift of being before the demands of doing.

The road ahead will ask much from us. But we follow a Savior who withdrew to quiet places, who welcomed rest, and who never rushed the work of transformation. May we follow his pace – not the world’s – and in doing so, rediscover that deep and steady assurance: It is well with our souls.

A One-Day Soul Care Plan

Join me in this rhythm of renewal.

Morning (8:00–12:00)
* Wake slowly - no alarms, no urgency
* Light a candle and read Psalm 23 or John 15 aloud
* Enjoy coffee or tea without multitasking
* Go for a walk in silence and notice the beauty around you
* Reflect or journal: What is God saying to me today?

Afternoon (12:00–4:00)
* Prepare or savor a favorite meal
* Take a nap or rest wrapped in a blanket
* Do something creative: sketch, write, sing, garden, build, plant.
* Call someone who brings peace to your spirit

Evening (4:00–8:00)
* Cook or share a simple dinner
* Light a candle and offer a prayer of gratitude
* Reflect: What renewed me today?
* Read something life-giving or sacred - and rest well

With care and deep affection,

Bishop Lanette Plambeck
Resident Bishop
Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area
The United Methodist Church