Since around September the elders, Council, and Pastor Jay have been talking about the idea of a sabbatical for him starting in May and running to July. We recognize, however, that while things have been being sketched out, we have told the congregation a little about these discussions, but haven’t really gotten into many of the details. This newsletter post is to explain some of what we have been talking about.
A ministry sabbatical is a relatively new practice in churches that is well supported by our church body and our District. The rough idea is that after about 7 years, a pastor’s “ministerial edge” starts to go a little dull and needs some sharpening. Pastor Jay has been at University Lutheran for 17, and he’s feeling that some sharpening could help. A ministry sabbatical is meant to bring renewed sharpness to a pastor and furthermore to prevent pastoral burnout which has caused many pastors to leave the ministry all together.
What Pastor Jay and congregational leaders have been discussing is a three month sabbatical that will be roughly divided into three segments: rest and renewal, research, and re-entry. During these three months, University Lutheran would be served by area pastors and the elders while Pastor Jay focused his summer on these things. The details of how this would play out are still unclear, but some of the picture might involve PJ spending time taking care of his physical health, taking time to engage in some devotional practices and retreats that he might not otherwise be able to take advantage of, possibly his beginning to pursue an advanced degree and/or a research project that would help him better serve University Lutheran, and doing some long term planning for his next years at University Lutheran.
While a ministry sabbatical would mean Pastor Jay resting from his vocation in terms of weekly preaching and the administrative tasks at University Lutheran, it wouldn’t exactly be a “vacation”. He is planning to use this time to become a better pastor for the next years of University Lutheran. Also, a part of this sabbatical would be an agreement that Pastor Jay would not be open to a call for a length of time after his sabbatical.
If you have questions about the prospect of this ministry sabbatical for Pastor Jay, you are encouraged to reach out to our congregational leadership – the elders and the church council. You may also reach out to Pastor Jay to ask questions as well. We look forward to bringing you more information and clarity as those things develop.