Sabbaticals are a vital part of a clergy’s journey in the ministry. It provides a chance to step back and breathe. It enables one to reflect on where one is on the journey of faith. And sometimes it is a time of decision as to direction in ministry.
The hope of a congregation is that they are providing this sabbatical as a means for the pastor to experience renewal and new energy for serving their congregation. When one is offered a sabbatical by a congregation, I think one should feel a commitment to return to that congregation and serve them for a designated period of time. However, to be honest, sometimes a sabbatical does convince one that this particular congregation or even the pastoral ministry is not for them. If that occurs, there is an issue of integrity involved as to how one responds to the congregation that has provided the sabbatical. It does not seem to me to be fair to use the sabbatical time to look for another position and then to abruptly announce the change.
To return to the congregation and use the next six months to a year to test out this new conviction seems to be to be a reasonable approach. During that process of discernment, it would be helpful to make use of prayer and consultation with trusted advisers to examine these feelings and be open to the possibility of rediscovering one’s commitment to the original calling of the congregation.
Prayerful openness to the guidance of the spirit is important at such a juncture.
