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In 2026, Leigh and St. David’s are in for an adventure called Sabbatical.

It is a holy time, a holy trek and allows for a holy homecoming.  In the coming months we will learn more about the why of sabbaticals.

Why are we doing a sabbatical?

Study after study show that clergy and congregations that occasionally rest and renew apart, have longer lasting and more fruitful relationships together.  Time alone allows everyone involved to go deeper and to re-commit to the pastoral relationship.  This is why it is a requirement in The United Church of Canada. (From The Manual of the UCC: I.2.3.5 Sabbatical Leave Sabbatical leave is a paid leave of absence for at least three months. It is available to ministry personnel called or appointed to a community of faith. These ministry personnel are eligible for a sabbatical each time they have completed five years of continuous service in the same pastoral relationship.

Let’s go deeper

David Ellingson describes sabbatical as a “time to relearn and rehearse that critical capacity to reflect, which transforms dreams of vacation to new visions of vocation.  … Just like soil, we humans need a sabbatical, a time to lie fallow. …

The very nature of being an effective pastor involves continual spiritual growth which can only occur when depth is plumbed occasionally (needs a longer time frame than one Sabbath a week).”

Let’s recommit to pastoral relationship We are people of faith in a time of rapid change in the world, and in our denomination.  To develop fresh ways to reach one another let us retool and refocus our mission and ministries together.  We all need renewal and learning opportunities. When congregants feel their pastor is exciting and spiritually alive, they are more likely to invite friends to come to church.  When pastor’s feel supported by and excited by their congregations, they are more likely to last in this vocation that can otherwise be emotionally draining over time. 

Rev. Leigh’s and St. David’s sabbatical will begin on April 5, 2026 after our Easter Worship service and will return on June 1, 2026 and lead worship again starting June 7, 2026.  The source for much of this research/information is The Alban Institute’s Clergy Renewal Guide to Sabbatical Planning (2000 written by A. Richard Bullock and Richard J. Bruesehoff)