I am excited to officially announce that I will be on sabbatical from mid February through late July 2025.Â
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Sabbaticals are a critical part of a minister’s relationship with the congregation, providing time and space to reflect and invest in the long-term health of our partnership, just as their root word, sabbath, implies. Ministers earn one month of sabbatical for each year of service, generally taking time off every four or five years. Rev. Sean took sabbatical in 2022, and I took one in 2019.
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Ministerial sabbaticals are not like academic ones, as in, there’s no required research or specific project. My last sabbatical was focused on rest and renewal, spending time with family and deepening my spiritual practices. With my children a little older, this time I plan to focus on writing and have a few projects in mind, with a few opportunities for travel and set-aside reflection. Â
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At church, we are so lucky to have Rev. Sean Neil-Barron and Katie Watkins, who already serve with me as a part of our Foothills Executive Team; they will continue to act as partners in executive leadership throughout the sabbatical, and Rev. Sean will serve as Acting Senior Minister. We are also grateful to Rev. Elaine Aron-Tenbrink who will step into a full-time ministry role. We will share more details about roles and responsibilities early in the new year. Â
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That said, some things at church will mirror my sabbatical time, and rest while I am away. Both because we are only able to add .5 FTE of additional staff to cover my full-time role, and also because sabbaticals are times where churches and ministers can let some things rest in order for reflection and discernment to happen, and to see what new thing is ready to emerge. Sabbaticals are also a great opportunity for churches to remember that the church is not about any one minister, and to take new or greater responsibility in the shared ministry, so part of this shift may include opportunities for lay leadership to move in different ways and spaces.Â
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As we approach the sabbatical, we’ll provide more details and invite conversation and answers to the questions that might arise. Thank you so much for making this time possible—it’s a true gift and an investment in the continued success of our shared work of unleashing courageous love.
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With gratitude and love,
Rev. GretchenÂ