Welcome to Savoring Pace
Hello. I am Kirk Jones. I live in Randolph, Massachusetts with my wife of 22 years, Bunnie, and our magnificent offspring: Jasmine, Jared, Joya, and Jovonna. After serving as a pastor for twenty years, I now teach at Andover Newton Theological School. In addition to teaching and preaching, I write and give workshops about savoring pace and other positive lifestyle changes that I address in my books, Addicted to Hurry: Spiritual Strategies for Slowing Down and Rest in the Storm: Self-Care Strategies for Clergy and other Caregivers.
What do I mean by living at a savoring pace?
To savor is to taste or smell with pleasure, to relish, to delight in, to enjoy. The word has its origination in the Latin sapere, which means both "taste" and "be wise." The connection between the physical and the psychological inherent in that root has never been more important. For me, the savoring is in the physical slowing, but just as much, it is in the revelatory showing within the slowing. Savoring pace yields the richer, brighter life that opens to us once we slow down enough to notice it more. Savoring pace challenges our frenzied pattern of paying attention to more with a gentle yet persistent appeal to pay more attention.
You can create your own unique savoring pace by seeing more clearly, listening more carefully, and thinking more deeply. Seeing more clearly involves your taking the time to focus on both ordinary and extraordinary sightings for a few moments longer. You can listen more carefully by simply paying more attention to sounds and silences. Thinking more deeply involves leaning into new meanings (as opposed to running away from them) in order to grow in new ways.
There is an alternative to fragmentation and exhaustion. You can choose to live at a more peaceful and sustainable savoring pace.
To gauge how fast you are living, click on the hurry test below. Don't forget to view the resources available for developing your unique savoring pace.
Biographical Sketch for Kirk Byron Jones
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Dr. Kirk Byron Jones is the son of Ora Mae Jones and the late Frederick Jesse Jones. He is married to Mary Brown-Jones of Boston, and they are the parents of Jasmine, Jared, Joya, and Jovonna Jones.
Rev. Jones is a graduate of Loyola University, Andover Newton Theological School, and holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Emory University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Drew University.
A pastor for twenty years, Rev. Jones was the founding minister of Beacon Light Baptist Church in New Orleans, and Senior Minister at Calvary Baptist Church, Chester, PA; Ebenezer Baptist Church, Boston, MA; and First Baptist Church, Randolph, MA. Throughout his pastoral ministry, Rev. Jones served on various religious and civic committees at the local and national level.
Currently a professor of ethics and preaching at Andover Newton Theological School, Dr. Jones serves as guest preacher and teacher at churches, schools and conferences throughout the United States. His writings have been published in various journals, including The Christian Century, Leadership, Gospel Today, Pulpit Digest, and The African American Pulpit, a quarterly preaching journal he co-founded in 1997.
Dr. Jones is the author of several best-selling books including Rest in the Storm: Self-Care Strategies for Clergy and Other Caregivers and Addicted to Hurry: Spiritual Strategies for Slowing Down, both published by Judson Press, and The Jazz of Preaching: How to Preach With Great Freedom and Joy published by Abingdon Press. Most recently, he has authored Morning B.R.E.W.: A Divine Power Drink For Your Soul and The Morning B.R.E.W. Journal published by Augsburg Books. These works explain Dr. Jones’s personal morning devotional practice that includes: B- Being Still, R-Receiving God’s Love, E- Embracing Personhood, and W-Welcoming the Day.
In January, 2007, Jossey-Bass Publishers will release Dr. Jones’ newest book, Holy Play: The Joyful Adventure of Unleashing Your Divine Purpose. Holy Play is a ground-breaking work that offers a dynamic new way to understand and live your divine purpose: Purpose is not something we passively receive from God; purpose is something we actively create with God. Dr Jones explains, “This book gives people permission to stop waiting for God to tell them what to do, and start doing what God has been inspiring them to do all along.”
Dr. Jones enjoys a leisure life of family play, reading, listening to music (especially jazz), and having new learning adventures every day.
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