Rev. Carson will be taking her first Sabbatical Leave after the worship service and a Sabbatical Send-Off Luncheon Sunday April 16 – July 31, 2023. Read below a special note from Rev. Carson regarding boundaries about Sabbatical leave, how this preparation began for her, the Session’s planning for VWPC’s ministry and guest preachers during this time, and what Rev. Carson will be focusing on during Sabbatical.
Beloved Disciples of VWPC,
Sabbatical Leave is an extension of the Biblical concept of renewal through the Sabbath day and Sabbath year. The model for Sabbatical Leave is Jesus Christ, who took time to be in prayer away from his own community of disciples on the mountain, on the road, and out on the water.
The Sabbatical Leave for a Minister is qualitatively different from an academic sabbatical, study leave, or vacation. The Sabbatical Leave frees the Minister from the ongoing pressures of deadlines, pastoral duties, and being constantly on call, and replaces that with a plan that encourages activities such as rest, travel, study, and reflection while allowing for the possibility of seizing the moment when opportunities not planned present themselves. A renewed and refreshed pastor would be expected to bring new energy and insight to the life of the congregation.
The Sabbatical Leave is also for the congregation. It is an opportunity for the congregation to reflect on the whole nature and meaning of ministry and the place of the congregation in that ministry; to renew and strengthen congregational lay leadership; and to continue to grow in faith through different perspectives and preaching styles which supply preachers may bring.
Please know that when I leave the church after the Sabbatical Send-Off Luncheon on Sunday April 16, I will completely unplug from social media, ministry, and from communication with you and Presbytery. Please know I am not being rude if you email, call, text or message me and I do not reply. I am simply keeping my boundaries to honor this time away for Sabbatical.
While I am away, any pastoral concerns or ministry questions should be directed to the Elder of the Week or Clerk of Session, Linda Pelletier.
It was in April 2022 that a trusted ministry colleague, who is retired from serving many levels within our denomination, and has been a mentor to many pastors and myself, suggested that I apply for the Lilly Foundation Clergy Renewal Sabbatical Grant. The Lilly Foundation awards a limited number of grants to pastors across denominational lines who are in need of a three to four month period of time away from the obligations of ministry to reconnect to God, self, and family to rest and be renewed in God’s creative grace.
In order to qualify for this highly competitive grant, a 10 page proposal and rationale is submitted with a theme for the Sabbatical, why it is needed, what it will entail, how pastoral leadership will be delegated in the pulpit and in the life of the church, a financial budget for the pastor’s time away and the honoraria required for the church to fill the pulpit, and how the pastor and congregation are hoped to be enriched and renewed by
this Sabbatical journey.
I am humbled and grateful to be a recipient of this grant, which financially provides for the entirety of all Sabbatical expenses for my travel and endeavors, as well as honorarium for all guest preachers. Therefore, there is no cost to the church for this Sabbatical. The church will continue paying my salary, Board of Pension & medical benefits without interruption.
The Session and I have worked together prayerfully and with deep intention to make sure our guest preachers are secured; ministry is planned by our committee teams for the spring and summer; spiritual leadership expectations among our Session’s Ruling Elders are agreed upon; pastoral care is planned weekly with an “Elder of the Week”. We have also secured local ministers in Lancaster (colleagues and friends of Rev. Carson) within our Presbytery who are “on call” to respond to critical emergencies or death while I am away.
Within our VWPC flock a desire has been organically expressed to re-instate our shepherding groups which were implemented in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Our congregational list from the new directory has been divided into small groups with a designated Shepherd to periodically reach out to their small group, especially in times of difficulty or absence. Elders Tony Flanagan and Laura Clark have been working with VWPC disciples who have felt called to serve as a shepherd for a smaller group of the congregation. Our Shepherds are: Mary Baker,
George & Mona Baker, Vivian Calcote, Annette Flanagan, Claudia Thompson, and Janesta Williams. A full listing of the Shepherds and their respective groups will be placed in the Vaughan Room.
Our Guest Preachers during Sabbatical Include:
April 23, 30, May 7, 14 – Rev. Dr. Craig Butler
May 21 – Rev. Megan Watson
May 28 – Rev. Steve Simon
June 4 – July 9 – Rev. Gayle Montgomery
July 16, 23 – Rev. Dr. David Brown
July 30 – Rev. James Platt
Lastly, I want to share with you how the Lord has led me to envision and plan out this Sabbatical. I am overjoyed to have time set apart to worship at various churches in different places; to be with my daughters, parents, and family; to travel internationally and nationally; to pray and journal as I rediscover myself after divorce; to write more poetry; to take painting lessons; and to be utterly surprised by God’s steadfast love and grace.
I will be traveling the following dates:
April 19 – May 4 to Scotland. My seminary friend and ministry colleague, Emma Ouellette and I will travel together to Glasgow Scotland where we will have a 7 day pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona to learn about Celtic Spirituality on a guided prayer retreat with John Phillip Newel (April 22-29). The remainder of our time in Scotland will be to explore Edinburgh and also Glasgow where I have learned I have ancestral roots within the
Montgomery clan, my paternal maiden name.
June 10 – 21 to Greece. I will once again travel with my friend Emma to Greece for a guided tour of walking the ancient paths of the Apostle Paul’s ministry. This tour is through Educational Opportunity Tours. We will
explore Thessaloniki, Philippi, Acropolis, Corinth, Cenchraeae, and Athens. Immediately after the land tour we will take a 3 – day Greek Isle Cruise to Turkey to tour Ephesus, Patmos, Crete, and Santorini. I cannot
wait to experience the Isle of Patmos where John received God’s Revelation, as we studied the New Testament book of Revelation during the pandemic for one year!!!
July 1 – 8 to Santa Fe, New Mexico with my daughters Devon and
Ashley. From Santa Fe, the girls and I will spend a week at Ghost Ranch, a PC(USA) retreat center to explore and hike in the desert, as well as engage in a multitude of creative workshops, such as painting, jewelry making,
and guided hikes and kayaking.
Please do direct any questions or pastoral concerns to either the Elder of the Day / Week or to the Clerk of Session, Linda Pelletier lindampelletier@gmail.com).
Any ministry communication that is to be sent to the church will continue to be supplied through our secretary, Donna Fox (vwpcsecretary@gmail.com). Please do email Donna by Thursdays to have ministry updates and events placed in the weekly bulletin, email,
and church website.
Lastly, please be in regular prayer for our Session Elders who are the spiritual leaders of VWPC, our Staff, our guest preachers, our church disciples, and my family and me in this time set apart.
Surely the Lord knows the plans he has for us in this time of Sabbatical – for each of us to lean into a deeper trust of God’s provision and leadership. For the Lord is preparing the way to give us a future with hope and one that affirms God’s desire to enrichen our ministries, well-being and the well-being of our surrounding community.
May God’s name and presence be praised in this time of our collective rest and renewal.
Your Sister in Christ,
Rev. Carson Montgomery