You Need a Sabbatical—Free

Pastor Kevin Newburg took a sabbatical, and it cost him and his church nothing. The renewal break—10 weeks in England and San Diego—was funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.

Lilly will award some 120 grants of up to $45,000 each this year, the fifth year of its National Clergy Renewal Program. So far, 499 congregations have received funds for renewal leaves for their pastors.

Pastors are welcomed to use the funds for travel, study (not seminary or degree programs), family time, renewal of hobbies or personal interests. Lilly wants to help pastors “rediscover the joy of ministry,” says Craig Dykstra, the Endowment’s vice president for religion.

Newburg, pastor of First Church of the Nazarene in Tacoma, Washington, received $23,364 in the endowment’s first year.

Newburg’s family joined him for six weeks in San Diego while he read Wesleyan writings at his alma mater, Point Loma College. He says they all took frequent trips to the beach and to Sea World. Later, Newburg and his wife took a self-styled Wesley pilgrimage through England.

“Dream big,” Newburg advises. “Lilly wants you to do something that just wouldn’t happen without their involvement.” The proposal should include both personal and professional renewal. Most winning grants incorporate generous amounts of family time.

A well-written proposal is the key. “We wrote and rewrote,” Newburg says. “You have a limited amount of space to outline your proposal. You need to answer the questions well and to show that this is a good time—for both you and your church—for you to be away.”

The church’s support is also vital. If the road to consensus was bumpy, Lilly wants to hear about it. In the end, however, the congregation must be fully behind the leave and be prepared to fill the gaps while the pastor is away. Up to $15,000 of the grant can be applied to congregational expenses.

Grant winners also show how the renewal activities benefit both pastor and congregation. One pastor in an aging congregation studied gerontology.

Another pastor traveled to New Zealand to see how English-speaking people welcomed native tribes into church life. He planned to use the findings in a multicultural setting in the U.S., and enjoyed a refreshing trip-of-a-lifetime to boot.

The deadline for applications is June 25, and the awards will be announced by October. Applications are available online at www.clergyrenewal.org.