Pastoral Sabbatical: Sample Proposal Narrative

Proposal Narrative: A Sabbatical for Balance and Renewal
By  Rev. Charles H. Hayes
Richland Center, WI Church of the Nazarene

Theme

The theme for my sabbatical is Sabbath-rest with a focus on understanding its implications for my life as a pastor, husband, father, and a child of God.  I plan to deal with some of the application questions that surround the issue of Sabbath-rest such as:

1. What does it mean to rest in the arms of God? 
2. What are the implications of Sabbath-rest for my walk with God? 
3. What are the implications of Sabbath-rest for my marriage and my role as a father? 
4. What are the implications of Sabbath-rest for my vocation and calling? 
5. What does it mean to be fully human and honor a Holy God? 

A sabbatical will be an excellent opportunity to begin to explore these questions in unhurried blocks of time.

Rationale

There is much to learn from studying Sabbath-rest described in Scripture that will have a positive effect on my vocation.  I need to learn and practice what it means to rest in God my Father.  When Sabbath-rest becomes more of a reality in my own life, I will be better able to proclaim it, teach it, and lead my congregation in embracing it.  I see the issue of Sabbath-rest as a very real area of need in my congregation.
I believe this exercise will assist me is assessing the elements required to enjoy long-term fruitful ministry in one place.  A rested and renewed pastor can better hear the voice of God and better discern the needs of a congregation.  This sabbatical will be helpful to both myself and our congregation as we contemplate the future and our work together

Plan

1. I plan to explore the implications of Sabbath-rest for relationships in the context of my marriage.  I will do this by spending extended personal time with my wife by traveling away from the demands of ministry.  We will spend time together at both the start and the conclusion of the sabbatical. 
2. In the time designated for reading and reflection, I intend to explore the implications of Sabbath-rest utilizing the following reading list.

Proposed Sabbatical Reading List

Barton, Ruth Haley; Invitation to Solitude and Silence
Brown, Barbara Taylor; Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith
Buchanan, Mark; The Rest of God
Bullock, A. Richard, and Richard J. Bruesehoff.  Clergy Renewal: The Alban Guide to Sabbatical Planning. The Alban Institute, 2000.
Dawn, Marva; Keeping the Sabbath Wholly
Edwards, Tilden; Sabbath Time
Harbaugh, Gary; The Pastor As Person
Heschel, Abraham Joshua.  The Sabbath.  New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
Mulholland, M. Robert Jr.; Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation
Muller, Wayne; Sabbath
Oswald, Roy M.; Clergy Self Care: Finding a Balance for Effective Ministry
Palmer, Parker J.; A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life
Peterson, Eugene, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading
Schaper, Donna; Sabbath Keeping
Sevier, Melissa Bane.  Journey Toward Renewal.  The Alban Institute, 2002.
Swenson, Richard A.; Margin: How to Create the Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves You Need
Thomas, Gary; Sacred Pathways
Thurman, Howard; Disciplines of the Spirit
Volf, Miroslav; Free of Charge

3. I plan to read and review my personal prayer journals.  I want to assess where I have been and what I have done in my ministerial journey spanning more than 23 years.  I will be asking myself what I want to do differently in the years ahead, and contemplating the implications of Sabbath-rest for my continuing journey. 

4. The classes I plan to take include “Balancing Your Ministry, Renewing Your Life” offered by the Alban Institute September 25-27, 2007 in Louisville, Kentucky.  Other classes and lecture series opportunities are being considered at such places as Olivet Nazarene University, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and MidAmerica Nazarene University.

5. There is some time in the schedule for recreating and creating.  I hope to use this time for physical activities, as well as some projects working with my hands.  Such physical activity and work will remind me of my humanity in a different way than ministry does.  Sabbath-rest seems to have an element tied to physical labor.  A week of such work may well be revealing and I want to see what I can learn.

Benefit

The benefits of this sabbatical would be a fresh perspective on life with a stronger sense of ministry priorities for the sake of establishing boundaries in my vocational life.  It would provide time to contemplate grace and Kingdom priorities.  A desired benefit would also be to build better “margins” into my life so there will be more room and energy for dealing with the unexpected crises that inevitably come to all lives.  I believe the boundaries and “margins” that could grow out of a study of Sabbath-rest would make me a better and more effective congregational leader as well as aid me in my personal life. 
I also believe a sabbatical would provide time to assess where I have been and where I am going in pastoral ministry.  Anything that can make the years ahead more fruitful and God-honoring will be a boon to my congregation as well as to my own soul.  If I can better lead my congregation in finding the Sabbath-rest of God, I will consider this sabbatical a success. 

Behind all of this is the desire to learn more about long-term pastoral tenure; how can such an experience be made fruitful and satisfying for both pastor and congregation?  This is subject matter worth exploring.  I believe this Sabbatical is an investment worth making for both pastor and congregation.