From the Rector…
Scripture often speaks of Sabbath as a gift of rest. Most commonly, this meant resting on the seventh day of the week. The Ten Commandments express it this way: “Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). The Bible includes many laws describing what may or may not be done on the Sabbath, and the Gospels even tell stories of Jesus getting into trouble for healing or acting in ways that challenged strict interpretations of those rules.
Yet the biblical idea of Sabbath is broader than a single day each week. In Leviticus we learn that the land itself was to observe a Sabbath: every seventh year the fields were to lie fallow so the soil could rest and be renewed (Leviticus 25). The wisdom behind this practice is simple but profound—fruitfulness requires rest. Seasons of renewal allow life to flourish again. Clergy sabbaticals grow out of this same biblical rhythm.
A sabbatical is typically a three-month period of intentional retreat taken about every seven years in a priest’s ministry. It is not simply time away from work or an extended vacation. Rather, it is dedicated time for spiritual renewal so that ministry can continue with depth, imagination, and faithfulness. Sabbaticals offer clergy the opportunity to reconnect with their calling and to engage in prayer, study, and reflection in ways that are difficult during the ordinary pace of parish life. Priests who take these restorative seasons often return with renewed energy, fresh vision, and healthier rhythms for sustainable ministry.
Importantly, sabbaticals benefit not only the priest but also the congregation. The health and vitality of a parish are closely connected to the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual well-being of its clergy. Supporting a sabbatical is not simply granting time away; it is an investment in the long-term flourishing of the congregation and its ministry. Sabbaticals also create space for lay leadership to grow, inviting members of the parish to share more fully in the work of ministry.
For these reasons, The Episcopal Church encourages clergy to take sabbaticals during their ministry. In the Diocese of Alabama, this practice is written into a priest’s Letter of Agreement. As I enter my seventh year at the Church of Ascension, and with the Vestry’s approval, I am applying for a grant to take a sabbatical during the summer of 2027.
The Lilly Foundation offers grants through its Clergy Renewal Program to support both clergy and congregations during sabbatical. These grants help cover sabbatical expenses and provide funds for supply clergy and parish needs while the priest is away. With the Vestry’s support, I have invited several members of Ascension with grant-writing experience to form a sabbatical planning team: Anne Kimzey, Christine Harrison, Brittany Wade, and Denton Hawk, along with our Wardens.
Our proposed grant is titled “From Wound to Way: A Pilgrimage of Healing, Incarnation, and Renewal.” Through practices of silence, pilgrimage, prayer, and theological reflection, this sabbatical is designed to transform the inevitable wounds of ministry into pathways of deeper compassion, wisdom, and hope.
Supporting a clergy sabbatical is not about losing a priest for a season; it is about receiving a renewed priest for years to come. When a congregation embraces this rhythm of rest, renewal, and return, it strengthens both the priest and the parish. It becomes a gift not only to the clergy, but also to the future ministry and life of the whole community.
Light and Life,
Candice+