What is a "Sabbatical"?
The word "sabbatical" comes from the
root word "Sabbath". The original Hebrew word, "shabbat",
means a literal "ceasing". The first "sabbatical" was God's
rest on the seventh day after creation. The Genesis account uses
the word "shabbat"; literally translated, God "ceased" from his
labor. Though it is full leave from ministerial duties, a
sabbatical is different than vacation. It will be a holy time
for intentional spiritual exploration and reflection, aimed at
renewing enthusiasm for ministry, learning things to share with the
congregation upon return, and preparing priest and parish for the
next stages of service to God. Recognizing the spiritual and
practical need for sabbaticals, the Diocese of Atlanta prescribes
sabbatical time for its clergy a minimum of every five years.
This provision must be part of the agreement between a priest in
this Diocese and the parish he serves. Accordingly, Fr. Rob's
letter of agreement with St. Aidan’s calls for such sabbatical time.
Why the need for a sabbatical?
The pressures on our priests are
varied and unrelenting. We ask them to be spiritual guides,
counselors, eloquent preachers, pastoral visitors, learned-teachers,
staff managers, and all-knowing administrators. Add to that
tight budget, staffing reductions, and a (successful!) capital
campaign, you can see how our situation has increased the demands of
Fr. Rob's ministry here. The good news is that St. Aidan's
continues to experience net growth in attendance, even at a time
when the Episcopal Church nationally has experienced declining
numbers amid great divisions. That strength gives us, the vestry,
confidence that we can work together as a parish during Fr. Rob’s
sabbatical to carry on with our ministry effectively. Many of
us have times in our spiritual lives in which time away from our
regular day to day routines has allowed us deeper spiritual insight
and a renewed commitment to our personal missions. Similarly, we
must tend to Fr. Rob's needs, not only as a human being but also as
the spiritual leader of our parish who needs renewal of purpose and
reinvigoration of spirit.
When did Fr. Rob last have such a leave of absence?
Fr. Rob has never taken a sabbatical
in his 14 years as an Episcopal Priest.
What will Fr. Rob do during his sabbatical?
Fr. Rob's sabbatical has been crafted
around the "knowing Christ" part of the St. Aidan's mission
statement and visiting two holy places: the Holy Land and the
isle of Iona in Scotland. In the Holy Land, Fr. Rob will do
coursework St. George's College, allowing study of the Palestine of
Jesus. Having been a priest for nearly 14 years, he says,
"it’s high time to see the places in Scripture about which I teach
and preach." In Jerusalem, he will also connect with people
from Kids4Peace, a inter-faith program in which his daughter and
Jack DeArmey have participated. His pilgrimage to Iona, on the
other hand, will be a time more geared towards inner renewal, the
"being still and know that I am God" part of this sabbatical.
There, he will explore the Celtic traditions of Aidan and others,
thus strengthening the connection he and St. Aidan’s have to Celtic
Christianity. Fr. Rob will also have extended time of renewal
both at home with his Caroline and Becca and a few, short trips
stateside with them.
What are the benefits of a sabbatical for our parish?
As a parish family, this time should
be entered into as our own sabbatical, our own time of renewal of
purpose. The Vestry and the Sabbatical Committee see our parish
sabbatical as a time to further explore what it really means for St.
Aidan's to 'make Jesus Christ known', per our mission statement.
How do we actively make Christ known in in our community? How, as
a congregation, do we fulfill Christ's command to act as "go into
the world". How do we become more of a "mission church" vs. a
"program church". What mission in our community can we embrace, to
the glory of God?
How Long is the Sabbatical?
Per diocesan guidelines and our
agreement with Fr. Rob, we’re planning on the sabbatical running for
3.5 months, from May through mid-August 2011.
How will this sabbatical be funded?
St. Aidan's is applying for a grant
from the Lilly Foundation's National Clergy Renewal Program.
This initiative provides generous grants to congregations for the
renewal of their pastor and parish. Led by Senior Warden Bob
French, a Sabbatical committee was formed to assemble information
and make application for the grant by mid June 2010. Grant
recipients for 2011 will be announced in the fall of this year.
If awarded, this grant funds both Fr. Rob's sabbatical and costs St.
Aidan's will incur, during Fr. Rob's absence, for interim priests
and spiritual teachers. St. Aidan’s has also been setting
aside funds for Fr. Rob’s sabbatical each year. These funds
will not cover the activities that Fr. Rob and we hope for. If he
does not receive the grant, we’ll have time to plan other methods of
funding to add to what we already have.
Who will substitute for Father Rob during his
absence?
The Rev. Rebecca Bokros Hatch, our
new Assistant to the Rector, will lead us on Sundays. Other clergy,
like the Rev. Joe Herring, who has served St. Aidan's as a
substitute priest, may also assist in Sunday services, teach
classes, and help with pastoral care. The Sabbatical committee is
exploring other spiritual guides who can help us in our own
sabbatical, as described above.
What other provisions will be made to make sure St.
Aidan's runs smoothly during this time?
As baptized people, we are all
ministers in one way or another, and we already have groups and
committees that keep our ministry active. For example, the Pastoral
Care Committee currently assists in a variety of ways, including
visiting sick and home-bound parishioners both in the hospital and
their homes, taking the Eucharist to those unable to come to regular
services, and serving as a resource for those who need help.
With these and other preparation efforts already in motion, the
renewal time for church leaders and the St. Aidan's congregation
has, in a sense, already begun. Duties related to the day to
day running of the church will be apportioned between the Senior
Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer.
How can you act as a supportive participant leading
up to this time of renewal?
Please
pray that
the Holy Spirit will pour the blessings of renewal and rest not only
on Fr. Rob during his time away, but on the entire St. Aidan's
parish family. Please
look for opportunities to serve,
and volunteer! Christ calls us all to actively serve each other,
not to be a passive, consuming audience waiting on one spiritual
leader to act in our place.
Sabbatical Committee
Bob French
Blair Hendrickson
Betty Hood
Michelle Hutnick
Terry Ledford
Joyce Miller
John Ray
Vickie Scott
May 17, 2010
