Open-Source Pastor: What Happens When You Skip Your Sabbaticals
An ongoing series just transparently reflecting on the whole pastor gig
I have been pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas for over 11 years. Who would have imagined!? It’s been a ride!
Part of the call for clergy in our denomination includes time for those with more than seven years of full-time ministry to take at least three months every five years for renewal leave/sabbatical.
I confess I haven’t taken any sabbaticals. I’ve been a full-time pastor in the ELCA since 2003, so next year will be my 20th anniversary of ordained ministry.
In 2019 I applied for a grant for a sabbatical with the Lilly Endowment, but didn’t get it (it’s competitive, better applications than mine got the grant, I’ll try again), and then when I would have used any funds I did have for sabbatical travel (2020) we were in the middle of a pandemic.
I’ve given myself excuses over the years on why I haven’t pursued a sabbatical. Either it wasn’t the right time (at year five here our congregation had just survived a major church split over same-gender marriage and I was in the middle of launching Canopy NWA our refugee resettlement agency, and at year ten there was a pandemic), –or– I worry that a sabbatical is a very privileged thing that not all those who work receive. And honestly the logistics of being gone for three months AND planning three months of “sabbatical time” is daunting.
But I think the wisdom of our denomination and churches in extending renewal leave to clergy has to do with the spiritual gifts it offers for church life. Being a pastor is a unique thing. The way I pastor is even more unusual. Time for renewal can teach congregations not to be overly reliant on their pastor, and it can teach pastors not to over-estimate their indispensableness. It also offers enough time for clergy and congregation to actually “renew,” which is essential in the life of community and spirituality.
As I have taken the last two weeks for writing (using my annual continuing education time), I’ve had multiple parishioners tell me how glad they are I’m taking a break. At the same time, I’m realizing how hard it is for me to actually take a break. To be honest, I didn’t really take much time to rest these two weeks. What I did instead was get to work on a book project, and I continued to work on small tasks that have come up here and there at church. I’ve changed the pace a bit but I haven’t really rested. And church still takes up the majority of my head and heart space.
If I’m going to listen to the wisdom of the wider church, to my colleagues and parishioners, and to my own internal compass, I need to hear what is being said, and what they’re saying is, “You need that sabbatical.”
Yesterday I talked with a pastor friend in Arizona who said she is seeing a model of clergy taking one month every four years instead of a three month sabbatical every 5-7 years. I can see the practicality and wisdom of this. I’m thinking through various options, even including just taking a month each summer, modeling pastoral ministry a bit more around the model for school teachers.
In the short-term, this is what I’m going to do. Since I’m now long overdue for a time of renewal, I’m going to take a simple version of it this summer. The month after Queer Camp, July 16-August 16, I’m going to take a month. I’m going to ask our guest preaching team to preach (we have so many gifted preachers in our congregation), and I’m going to take 30 days of renewal. I’m going to make one exception, I’m going to camp at church with everyone the weekend of July 30th because that just sounds like fun and I have been truly desiring time with people.
To make this happen, I’m asking our leadership team to take the following rather simple steps:
Fall planning needs to mostly happen in June. I’m thinking especially about Sunday school and adult education planning for the fall, plus small groups and events.
I’m asking the church council to appoint some team leads to a few essential functions where we currently have gaps (some of these gaps arose during the pandemic and this is a natural time to re-establish leadership). This includes: 1) building and grounds, 2) filling the financial secretary position now that our financial secretary is himself on sabbatical in Sweden, and 3) worship team (at least during the month I’m gone). We might also benefit from a lead person/team for events.
I’d also like us to deepen and extend the mutual ministry of the congregation. By this I mean, we need a way for people to check in on each other and follow up when someone needs support. I know this happens organically in many ways, but a lot of needs also fall through the cracks, and this is one of those things in congregations that often devolves to the pastor. They’re the only ones oftentimes who “know” the whole congregation. For example, right now during my two-weeks, I’m still receiving messages from people in the congregation who are sick, or need help, or are grieving, or need a word of encouragement. I’ve encouraged communication hubs like Discord so that we can mutually support one another, most haven’t gained widespread traction (it’s hard these days to know in what space everyone “is”), but we just need a simple and effective system for more regularly supporting one another and understanding “pastoral” care as the mutual consolation of the saints rather than “consolation routed through the one pastor.”
I’ve never served in one place for 11 years. I hadn’t thought about the impact of skipping my sabbaticals. I’m hearing a clear word from friends and parishioners and colleagues and God to make some space. I’m trying to be honest and clear about the logistics and struggle of it all.
Our ELCA congregation in Iowa has recognized the need for Pastors to have sabbatical time. As I follow Pastor Clint I have been amazed at the schedule he keeps. Even the best among us need a break. In my rural area one of the most aggressive and hard working families still manages to rest on the Sabbath (they are livestock farmers, so they do their chores, but strive to do nothing beyond that). I often have thought the rest is what lets them work as hard and successfully as they do. Pastor Clint should find a way to take a Sabbatical. 😊🙏
I am glad to hear this. You need it. I would be happy to help in whatever way I can while you are gone.