Clergy Renewal Leave

As I mentioned earlier, I applied for a grant for Clergy Renewal (aka Sabbath Rest or Sabbatical) last year and was denied that grant.  At the time, I was extremely disappointed, but now I see this as a wonderful blessing and opportunity God is giving me and Community of Joy.

In the past week, I have been researching another grant source which will give up to $50,000 per person/congregation for this Clergy Renewal Leave experience.   And I have been in touch with a pastor from Indiana that had such an experience this past fall that was funded by this grant.  Also, I have read two Alban Institute books on Clergy Renewal.   And finally, I met two other pastors from California (met them in Walmart in Harrisonburg, VA) who read my blog and were also denied the previous grant, but are taking a Clergy Renewal Leave anyways.

From the book, "Journeying toward Renewal"  By Melissa Bane Sevier, I found the following notes very helpful...

"Long-term pastorates often become soothing for pastor and congregation because people become used to each other, like in a long marriage.  They no longer challenge each other to do new things, to listen for the call of God to act out their fiath in new ways.  The dance we began (in our case in 1999 here at CoJ) as we excitedly learned how to adjust to each other's peculiarities has now sometimes become a shuffle in which we move together, using the same old rhythms and the same old steps, across the dance floor in choreographed, familiar ways."      

Melissa's findings and those of the Lily Foundation (the granting body) are that "pastoral leaders who are healthy find they stay longer in their congregations and congregations with healthy pastors are healthy themselves.... Balanced leaders make for balanced congregations."   We are now into a long-term pastorate here at Community of Joy and I would love for it to be even longer!

The question that the Lily Foundation asks for the Clergy Renewal Leave is "what will make your heart sing?"  A great question!

"A sabbatical is primarily for the renewal of the pastor, but when the pastor is rejuvenated, so is the congregation.  As change occurs in the pastor, leading from weariness to energy, from same-old to newness, from overwork to rest, that change almost of necessity seeps from the pastor's life into the church's life.  We are not beings who live apart from our work; rather, who we are greatly affects what we do.  Both the positive and negative aspects of our "pastoral personality" are contagious in the congregation.  Therefore, what gives us joy in renewal most likely will assist us in being agents of positive change upon our return."

"Don't take it personally, but your congregation need you to leave.  Not forever, but for a few weeks or months.  Why? Because while you are gone, they will learn all sorts of things about themselves they may have forgotten since you arrived.  They may suddenly remember how to work the thermostats, when the building needs to be unlocked for the scout troop, how to plan worship, whose turn it is to make the coffee before the service, and when to start organizing the fall stewardship campaign.  More importantly, they may remember to visit and care for each other, how to make visitors feel welcome, and that someone needs to stay in contact with the local food pantry.  It will be good for them to remember thse things without your prompting."

I am anxious to form a team to plan a renewal experience and to make application for the grant for myself and Community of Joy because I feel that it will be a mutually beneficial expereince for all of us!