The United Church of Gainesville has received a grant of $59,689.20 to support Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan, in participating in the 2023 National Clergy Renewal Program, including a sabbatical in the summer of 2024. UCG is one of 177 congregations across the United States selected to participate in this competitive grant program, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and administered by Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Established by the Endowment in 2000, the program’s grants allow Christian congregations to support their pastors with the gift of extended time away from their ministerial duties and responsibilities.
Ministers whose congregations are awarded the grants use their time away from the demands of daily ministry to engage in reflection and renewal. The approach respects the “Sabbath time” concept, offering ministers a carefully considered respite that may include travel, study, rest, prayer and immersive arts and cultural experiences. Sabbaticals have been a part of UCG’s ministerial support for decades and are part of our covenants with each of our clergy. Rev. Andy Bachmann last took a sabbatical in the fall of 2021; Rev. Talia Raymond will likely take hers in 2025. Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan will take her sabbatical in the summer of 2024.
Through the National Clergy Renewal Program, congregations apply for grants of up to $60,000 to support renewal programs for their pastors. Collaborative in nature and implementation, the program allows congregations to partner with their ministers in developing experiences that address their unique renewal needs and aspirations. Recognizing that ministers’ families are subject to the stress and demands placed on pastoral leaders, the program encourages pastors to involve their families in renewal activities. Congregational needs during the minister’s renewal experience also are considered. Almost $11,000 of our grant award will be used to support interim pastoral leadership during Bromleigh’s sabbatical, as well as renewal activities within the congregation. Since the National Clergy Renewal Program’s inception, more than 3,527 congregations have participated in the program, including the 177 congregations receiving grants in 2023.
Bromleigh’s sabbatical plan centers largely on taking her family to visit cities that have been important to them over the years, including lots of live theater, museums, and time together. She’ll also have time to write and reconnect with clergy/writing friends, and she and Josh will take their first solo trip as a couple to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival. She also intends to spend a lot of time reading through her endless to-be-read pile.
The plans for the congregation during this time are just beginning to develop. The Congregational Ministry Review Board (CMRB) and Church Council executive team will take the lead, together with Talia and others, to ensure that this period (roughly May through July; dates still being determined) is one of renewal and reflection for the congregation as well. The funding available through this grant allows us to think even more creatively together about how we might engage various resources as we envision our next steps as a congregation. We’ll plan some specific opportunities for you to offer ideas, but also know inspiration can strike at any time, so please share any dreams or input you have with either Talia or Bromleigh, or the members of CMRB and the executive team.
Given that we will likely be in the midst of a ministerial search process during summer 2024, Bromleigh will be in touch more than she might otherwise be while away on sabbatical, but if we have learned anything in recent years, we are capable of holding many things together at once as a congregation!
“Pastors play an important role in nourishing the spiritual lives of individuals and in guiding the work of the Christian congregations they serve,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Through these grants, we seek to honor pastors for their extraordinary service and enable them to engage in a brief period of rest and renewal. We have learned that such experiences invigorate the leadership of pastors and bring new vitality to their congregations as well.”
Dr. Robert Saler, director of the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs, noted that the National Clergy Renewal Program integrates key attributes of healthy congregations, including a mutual respect for the renewal needs of both ministers and the congregations they serve. “The program provides an opportunity for congregations to express appreciation for their ministers’ service and leadership,” Saler said. “At a time when leaders are often praised for their pace of innovation and productivity, the National Clergy Renewal Program pays homage to the timeless wisdom embedded in the practice of reflection and renewal.”