Sabbatical 2009
What is a sabbatical?
Do other clergy go on sabbatical?
How long will Fr. Joel be gone?
What will Fr. Joel be doing on his sabbatical?
Who will cover Fr. Joel's responsibilities during his absence?
Who will I call to plan a special service?
Who will conduct worship?
Who should I contact for special prayer requests?
Who do I call if I have a family or personal crisis?
Who will pay for the sabbatical?
Will the parish budget need to be increased to cover its share of the expenses?
Who will administer the parish in Fr. Joel's absence?
What if a question/concern arises while Fr. Joel is gone?
Will the church be in a holding pattern while Fr. Joel is away?
Will Fr. Joel be in contact with St. Luke's during his sabbatical?
How will we get reacquainted when Fr. Joel returns?
How can I learn more about the sabbatical?
The word sabbatical has its roots in the biblical concept of Sabbath (to rest or to cease). Sabbath keeping is setting aside time that God consecrates and makes holy.
Sabbatical leave is a time for our Rector to shift gears in order to rest, disengage, study, reflect, and travel in order to return to minister among us refreshed and renewed in body, mind and spirit.
Fr. Joel's letter of agreement with St. Luke's specifies that he will take a sabbatical within the first five to seven years of his service at St. Luke's. The year 2009 marks Fr. Joel's seventh year with us.
Sabbatical is more than a vacation away from meetings, budgets, sermons, and people in need. It is a time for Fr. Joel to receive spiritual nourishment and a change in perspective, to deepen his relationship with God a season of spiritual growth. This special time will also be a season of growth for the entire congregation.
Do other clergy go on sabbatical?
Yes. A growing number of clergy are taking sabbaticals. Our diocesan policy on sabbaticals strongly encourages congregations in our diocese to provide their clergy with regular sabbatical leave.
How long will Fr. Joel be gone?
The sabbatical is May 12 August 14, 2009. Fr. Joel will be back for services on August 16.
What will Fr. Joel be doing on his sabbatical?
He will serve for one month as the non-stipendiary assistant at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Athens, Greece, a Church of England parish in the Diocese of Europe. While in Athens he will write the first draft of The Wounded Traveler: Reexamining the Parable of the Good Samaritan . In July he will be in residence at Ripon College Cuddesdon, a Church of England theological college (seminary) seven miles outside of Oxford. There he will be editing the papers of Michael Mayne for publication. The final two weeks will be spent back in the United States editing writings from earlier in the summer and, hopefully, relaxing! Debbie will accompany him for the majority of the sabbatical but not its entirety.
Who will cover Fr. Joel's responsibilities during his absence?
The Rev. Perry Scruggs will serve as Sabbatical Chaplain during the sabbatical and will provide priestly ministries. The Rev. Art Bass will also provide pastoral services. The Vestry and the church staff will carry on their normal duties. Lay volunteers will also increase their involvement.
Who will I call to plan a special service?
The church office will be open during its usual hours. The church staff in consultation with Fr. Perry and Deacon Bass will arrange for weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other special services.
Fr. Perry will serve as celebrant at the two Sunday services and the Thursday service.
Who should I contact for special prayer requests?
You may contact our office to have names places on the weekly prayer list for our Prayer Chain group. Also, you may contact Joan Harper, our Prayer Chain chairperson.
Who do I call if I have a family or personal crisis?
For pastoral concerns, contact Deacon Bass either through the church office or through his home or work numbers. Fr. Perry will be contacted if the services of a priest are required. Deacon Bass and Fr. Perry will be making hospital visits and nursing home visits during the sabbatical.
Who will pay for the sabbatical?
The sabbatical expenses are split between Fr. Joel and Debbie, the parish, and the diocese.
Will the parish budget need to be increased to cover its share of the expenses?
Beginning in 2004, budgeting began for the expense of supply clergy during the sabbatical. Grants have been made by the Vestry and the diocesan office to help with the costs. Fr. Joel and Debbie have been budgeting for the sabbatical for several years and are contributing from their own account.
Who will administer the parish in Fr. Joel's absence?
The church staff will carry on their normal duties under the supervision of the Vestry.
What if a question/concern arises while Fr. Joel is gone?
Questions about the sabbatical itself may be directed to jerry Lowery, Sabbatical Committee Chairman or other members of the Vestry. During the sabbatical the Vestry will exercise the authority to resolve all issues concerning parish life.
Will the church be in a holding pattern while Fr. Joel is away?
No. All of our ministries will continue to flourish, and perhaps new ones will be formed. A sabbatical offers an important opportunity to reflect on the fact that a healthy congregation is not overly dependent on one person. It is important to remember that while Fr. Joel is on his journey of renewal refreshment, and reflection, the parish also benefits from a time of change of pace, when other sources of leadership are recognized, and when the parish recognizes that it is not overly dependent on any one person.
Will Fr. Joel be in contact with St. Luke's during his sabbatical?
An important part of a sabbatical is to make a complete break from things. Fr. Joel will be in contact be letter (and hopefully lots of pictures!) at the end of the Athens and Cuddesdon legs of the sabbatical. In the event of a death in the parish, Fr. Joel will be notifies of the death by the Parish Administrator, Brenda Martin, and will keep the family in his thoughts and prayers. In the unlikely event that some extraordinary news absolutely must be communicated to Fr. Joel, he will be contacted by the Senior Warden through the Parish Administrator.
How will we get reacquainted when Fr. Joel returns?
The three months of the sabbatical will come and go quickly. Jerry Lowery and his ad hoc committee will oversee arrangements for the Huffstetlers' return. In due course, Fr. Joel will reflect on the benefits of the sabbatical and its impact on the parish with the Vestry and, ultimately, with the entire congregation. The sabbatical is intended to be a time of renewal for both the rector and the congregation.
How can I learn more about the sabbatical?
Ask Jerry Lowery or any members of the Vestry. Also, the entire planning process for the sabbatical has been patterned on the guidelines set forth in the book widely recognized as the definitive work on clergy renewal. The book is Clergy Renewal: The Alban Guide to Sabbatical Planning , by A. Richard Bullock and Richard J. Bruesehoff (Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 2000). You are welcome to pick up a copy and read as much as you wish about the sabbatical process.
