I notified the council that I am seeking and will be applying for a Clergy Renewal (Sabbatical) Grant from the Lilly Endowment Foundation. Every year the Lilly Foundation through CTS awards roughly 200 grants to parish pastors so that they can take a sabbatical. Pastor’s can be awarded up to $60,000 for renewal leave for rest, travel, I’ve been a parish pastor now going on 16 years and haven’t had the opportunity to do so. I’m now into my seventh year here and after going through “the covid years,” I feel a sabbatical will not only be of benefit to me, but to the congregation. The tentative goal is to apply for the grant in the Spring of 2024 and go on sabbatical the Summer of 2025. I have created a website “www.sabbathseeker.com” to chronicle the sabbatical seeking and grant application process. It is not up and running quite yet, but should be within the next month or so.
In pursing this goal the council has approved the creation of a Sabbatical Committee. A big thank you to Gail K-H, Nancy H. & Neal J., Jessica & Kevin M., and Susan K. for serving on this committee!! Over the next year we will be researching, praying, and find the best way to make use of this renewal grant both for myself and for the congregation. As I said there will be more information coming out about this over the next year or so. I am sure both the committee and you all will have lots of questions and maybe some concerns. It’s our hope that over the next year we’ll provide those answers and calm those fears, so that both parish and her pastor can be strengthened and renewed in the ministry we all share. For those who are curious you may find out more about the grant program at https://www.cts.edu/cpe/clergy-renewal/
Sabbath Seeker 
Leave a comment