What’s This About the Pastor’s Sabbatical?
It was nearly 4 years ago when – still in the interview process that led to my coming here – I had a conference call with FCC-Hanson’s Board of Trustees. We spoke about what my duties would be, what compensation would be, including benefits, what the parsonage would be like (which required a bit of prophecy at that point), and several other subjects. Then the question came up regarding a sabbatical. After 6 years service in Thomaston, CT I was granted 6 months (in 2002) during which time I did a substantial amount of the research that was need in order to receive my Doctor of Ministry degree in 2005. In 2011, I was granted 3 more months, in which I adapted my doctoral thesis to help train pastors in Kenya and India. I was gone from home for about four weeks. One year later, the book “Thriving Churches” was printed in India as a result of that endeavor.
But that was then. I said to the Trustees that while I would appreciate the rhythm of a time away to grow in a new direction, I didn’t feel that at this stage in my life I needed the lengthy “away” time in order to accomplish some new project. Rather, I said, I would like to be free to continue the relationships I had with the schools where I had taught. so we settled on a one-month sabbatical every 3 years. We were able to include Kenya in the Team’s trip in January of 2017, but I now look forward to teaching in two different schools in the second-most populous country in the world.
I will be away from the parish for the month of August, preparing for a few days, traveling 8/9-28, and recovering thereafter! I look forward to offering encouragement to the students and faculties of these schools I will be visiting, as they show tremendous devotion under difficult conditions. Your Deacons have assembled an outstanding slate of preachers for August, including Rev. Phil Jackson, former pastor of this church, retiring in September from the Yarmouthport Congregational Church, who was just awarded the Harry Butman award for pastoral excellence from our National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. Phil and Michelle will be moving to California, so this is a rare opportunity!
