Sabbatical. The word comes from scripture; the Hebrew word sabbath which means "to rest from labor." This cycle of work and rest is woven into the very fabric of the Israelites' history, mimicking the six days of creation and the seventh day of rest. It's an odd-sounding word; certainly not something that comes up in casual conversation all that often. And it's not always easy to spell (just ask the session of my church). But it's something that my family, my church and I will be getting to know very well over the course of the next few months.
Here's how it all started. About a year ago I met with members of our church's Personnel Ministry Team and we talked about the possibility of a sabbatical in 2010. We were heeding the advice of many friends in ministry over the years - both clergy and lay people - who have strongly advocated a sabbatical period for both church and pastor after seven years of ministry together. It's hard to believe, but March 2010 marked the beginning of my eighth year at First Presbyterian Church of Mount Airy, NC - a wonderful relationship that my family and I are most grateful for and look forward to furthering. As with a lot of things these days, funding a sabbatical was an issue. So we entered the grant-writing arena and applied for a National Clergy Renewal grant from the Lily Endowment. It was a great process because it forced us to think long and hard about why we wanted this sabbatical, why it was important to us, and what we would do with it.
That last part is really important, because it's easy for a sabbatical to err toward one of two extremes, neither of which are advisable. On one end is the kind found in most academic circles where the professor takes a semester off from the classroom to do intense research or write a book, playing right into the "publish or perish" mentality. Nice, but hardly resting from one's labors. The other extreme is the one conjured up in the minds of some: a vision of three months doing absolutely nothing, laying by the pool or beach sipping a cool beverage. Neither of these really get to the heart of "sabbath" in its truest form. It is not a period of inactivity. At the same time, it's not "work" that drains. It is activity that serves to refresh and renew pastors, their families, and their congregations.
Back to the story. The grant application was sent off and the waiting period began. And then in October, the church got word that our grant had been approved - no small feat, I'm told, as apparently most ministers/churches do not receive this grant on their first try. The sabbatical plan was then approved by the session in November and announced to the congregation. Earlier this month I wrote this letter in our church's monthly newsletter about what this sabbatical would mean for me, my family and the church. A few Sundays ago I preached a sermon about sabbath and sabbatical titled The Seventh-Inning Stretch. And this Friday, after over a year of preparation and anticipation, this sabbatical will become a reality for me and the church I lovingly serve. I won't be seen at First Presbyterian until the first Monday in August.
So, what will I be doing? That's a loaded question. While I had to plan out specific things as part of the grant application, there will also be a significant element of "going with the flow." In short, though, I guess you could summarize the experience in three categories: REST, MUSIC, FAMILY (and not necessarily in that order). The first will be the biggest challenge, as I'm one of those people who does not easily slow down. I don't really know how to, frankly. Proverbially speaking, I'd much rather zoom past the roses instead of bothering to stop and smell them. This period of sabbatical is going to force me to intentionally let go of the fast pace I'm accustomed to and and do things more deliberately. I'm not lying when I say that's gonna be a challenge.
Then there's MUSIC. It should come as no surprise to those who know me that this has always been a big part of my life. As I mentioned in this previous post, however, in recent years my songwriting has suffered a bit. Okay, more than a bit. A large part of my sabbatical grant is designed to recreate some of the music "spaces" I have lost; namely, the time to write music and a place to do it. I've secured a nifty little music loft in downtown Mayberry where I'll retreat over the course of the sabbatical to listen to music, think and breathe music, and write and compose music. I recently acquired an upright bass and am learning how to play it (using muscles in my hands I never knew existed, I might add). I'll also be leading music for the June Massanetta Middle School Conferences this summer and releasing a five-song EP to go along with it (which I talked about in my last blog).
And last but certainly not least, there's FAMILY. Listen, I'm not one to whine about missed time with my family just because I'm a pastor. Lots of husbands and Dads out there work as hard and as long as I do. Still, I want to make sure that our boys never doubt that their Dad treasures them and their mother above anything and everything else. So this sabbatical is going to allow me to give them some amazing time I wouldn't have to give otherwise. There will be a week trip to Disney World, a Lindsley first. There will be our annual beach trip, and the family will join me for the second week of the Massanetta youth conference. And there will also be lots of "regular" moments - going to the pool, walking to the library, tending to the family garden, playing Wii. It'll be big stuff and little stuff, and all of it will be special.
It'll be great, this sabbatical. But just in case you're wondering; no, it won't all be easy. When you do something practically every day for seven years, you kind of get used to doing it, you know? There's a clean break that has to happen in order for the sabbatical to do what it's supposed to do, and it's not just about me not coming to work for three months. There's a whole group of people I'm used to seeing nearly every day - church staff and members - that I won't be seeing as much, and certainly won't be seeing in a church context. There's a Sunday morning worship routine that is so ingrained in who I am as a person that will be put on hold for three months. I still plan to worship on Sundays, I just won't be experiencing it at FPC. And I won't be leading it either. All pastoral duties, including funerals, will be handled by the temporary supply pastor, my good friend and mentor Steve McCutchan. Not me - and that's weird. We clergy are notorious for not being able to let go of our work when we're away or on vacation. I've got to do it for three months. It'll be something I have to get used to, as will the church.
But in the end I believe - no, I know - that this sabbatical will be a wonderful thing for all of us: me, my wife and boys, the church. Which is why I chose the image of a seventh-inning stretch to describe this period of sabbatical in my recent sermon (and I invite you to read it here). Because in the end this "break" is not just about me; it is also about the church and our relationship together - a relationship that will continue after these three months are over.
I'm excited. I'm nervous. And I'll be blogging all about it right here at Thoughts & Musings. So stay tuned. Join me in the journey!
****************
(Note: if you haven't yet subscribed to this blog, now would be a great time to do so as I begin this time of sabbatical. Simply enter your email in the text box on the right near the top of the page. And feel free to suggest this site to others too!)
Steve,
I'm down the road in Charlotte... a fellow PCUSA pastor and musician who just finished a music/rest/family sabbatical. I'd love to tell you about it, and also blogged weekly through it. The first post is here:
http://robertaustell.blogspot.com/2009/05/sabbatical-fruit-week-1_11.html
It was great, but there were some surprises. Hope yours is wonderful - and if you ever want to wander down to Charlotte and jam or record for fun, hit me up.
Robert Austell
Good Shepherd Presbyterian
[email protected]
Posted by: robert austell | April 28, 2010 at 11:32 AM
actually, the more reflective stuff started several weeks in... like this one
http://robertaustell.blogspot.com/2009/06/sabbatical-fruit-week-six-halfway.html
Posted by: robert austell | April 28, 2010 at 11:35 AM