December 18, 2003

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Rev. Jonathan R. Almond has not had a sabbatical in the 36 years he has been in ministry in the United Methodist Church. Next fall, he will take four months to relax, reflect and "recharge my batteries."

The sabbatical is made possible by a national program that enables pastors to leave their pulpits for an average of three months for spiritual renewal.

Almond, pastor of Mathewson Street United Methodist Church in Providence, R.I., is one of eight United Methodist pastors participating in the 2003 National Clergy Renewal Program, funded by Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment. The United Methodist churches are among 117 congregations that will collectively receive $4.5 million in grants to provide their pastors with opportunities to get re-energized for ministry.

Almond and the other pastors will tour religious and spiritual sites, as well as visit theological centers and churches similar to theirs. Times of travel, study, rest and prayer are designed to help the pastors enhance their spiritual lives. The program also aims to give congregations a new sense of mission and purpose as they assume additional responsibilities in their pastors' absences.

The 4-year-old National Clergy Renewal Program awards diverse congregations grants of up to $45,000 each to plan a "well-thought-out, intentional program of renewal for their pastor and themselves," says Gretchen Wolfram, communications director for the Lilly Endowment. Congregations from 33 states and 16 Christian denominations and other faith traditions may use up to $15,000 of their grant money to pay for pastoral services in their pastor's absence and for congregational renewal expenses, she said.

The endowment's goal is to reinforce and build on the work of both clergy and lay people, she said. Most participating pastors will begin their renewal sabbaticals in 2004 and will have until Dec. 31, 2005, to complete their spiritual journeys.

The 209-member Mathewson congregation has worldwide partners in ministry, and Almond plans to spend some of his renewal visiting two of them, both center-city churches. He will spend time at a church in Birmingham, Ala., and at the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg, South Africa, focusing on relational ministry. As the Mathewson church is a center-city church, he will visit these partner downtown churches to see how they create ministries of hospitality while meeting the needs of the diverse and needy populations around them.

"I will be looking at the role of the church in issues around racism and the ministry that the center-city churches provide," Almond says. He will hear the stories of hope and reconciliation from the members of the churches, which will "hold for me a key to understanding the realm of God in our post-modern world," he says.

Almond also will compile a portfolio of watercolor paintings of his experiences and the places he visits. He intends to display his collection in a gallery showing in Providence at the end of his sabbatical.

"People do not realize how intense a pastor's life can be," says Craig Dykstra, the endowment's vice president for religion. "He or she fills many roles that can become overwhelming." The clergy renewal program "gives pastors - many of whom have never had a sabbatical - time to take an extended leave" and "renew neglected spiritual disciplines," he says.

Says Almond: "I have not had any type of sabbatical in 36 years of ministry." Being away from his congregation will be "somewhat intimidating," but he knows that ministry will continue without him, he says.

Congregations that have participated in the renewal program knew they had to step up in the pastor's absence, Wolfram says. "The congregations are pleased for the minister and their families to be able to be off, and theyhave surprised themselves at the success they have had when the minister is gone."

While the pastor is away, many congregations engage in activities that often mirror their pastor's work, Dykstra said. Numerous churches take the opportunity to learn about their denomination, study how similar congregations have overcome common challenges and concentrate on building their spiritual life.

"In our religion grant-making, we hope to strengthen the efforts of today's excellent pastors because it is no secret that pastors who have reconnected themselves to the passions that led them to the ministry in the first place are more likely to lead healthy and vibrant congregation," Dykstra says.

In addition to the Mathewson church, United Methodist congregations and pastors participating in the 2003 National Clergy Renewal Program and the grants received are:

. First United Methodist Church, Grand Rapids, Mich., the Rev. Gary Thomas Haller, $44,669.

. First United Methodist Church, Kalamazoo, Mich., the Rev. Douglas Wendell Vernon, $42,611.

. Scotia (N.Y.) United Methodist Church, the Rev. Janice McClary Rowell, $37, 479.

. Calvary United Methodist Church, Durham, N.C., the Rev. Laurie Hays Coffman, $45,000.

. York Street United Methodist Church, Cincinnati, the Rev. Vanessa K. Allen-Brown, $45,000.

. Dallas (Ore.) United Methodist Church, the Rev. Gwendolyn Muriel Drake, $42,800.

. First United Methodist Church, McAllen, Texas, the Rev. Robert Schnase, $43,295.

United Methodist News Service
Linda Green is a news writer for United Methodist News Service.