Pastor Lauren Sabbatical - Summer of 2022
Lilly Endowment National Clergy Renewal Program

Q&A Session – 7:00 pm, Tuesday, March 23

Click here to sign up for the March 23 online discussion.

The word sabbatical has its roots in the Biblical concept of Sabbath (“to rest or to cease:). Sabbath keeping is setting aside time that God concsecrates and makes holy. In the congregation, sabbatical leave is a time for a pastor or other ministry leader to shift gears to study, reflect, travel and rest in order to become refreshed in work, as well as renewed in body, mind and spirit.

The St. Paul Area Synod recommends clergy sabbatical after every six years of ministry. Pastor Lauren began her ministry with us in December 2015.

Pastor Lauren is applying for a grant with the Lilly Endowment National Clergy Renewal Program for 4 months in 2022 (April 25, 2022 – August 7, 2022). The grant provides opportunities for pastors to step away briefly from the obligations of parish life to engage in a period of renewal and reflection. Sabbaticals are not vacations, but times for intentional exploration and reflection, as well as an opportunity for regaining the enthusiasm and creativity needed for future ministry.

Working with a group of young adults, as well as other members of RLC, Pastor Lauren is crafting a sabbatical proposal under the theme: Mentored UP! Gen XYZ: Finding Faith in the Future Together.

This proposal has been born out of an understanding that as a Gen X’er, she wants to spend time listening to, and uplifting the voices of Generations Y and Z. Pastor Lauren was struck by a declaration that, “If you are a Gen X pastor and don’t have a mentor younger than yourself, you are doing yourself and your ministry a disservice.”

The sabbatical that is being proposed for Lilly consideration has four different areas of concentration:

1. Personal internships, “Mentoring UP”, and learning experiences with Gen YZ Pastor Lauren is proposing an “internship” for a portion of her sabbatical with OutFrontMN.org. She will walk alongside this team of professionals to gain andunderstanding of their work and passion. Pastor Lauren is also going to be “Mentored UP” by a Gen Y pastor or church worker throughout the sabbatical. A porition of the sabbatical is also spent volunteering at the ELCA Youth Gathering to be held in Minneapolis late July 2022. 
2. Interviews with young adults for a post-sabbatical podcast series. Throughout the sabbatical, Pastor Lauren will be interviewing a variety of Gen YZ young adults about ther passions and concerns. These interviews will become a podcast series, shared after her sabbatical. 
3. Experiences with her own family of young adults. Part of the sabbatical will be spent traveling with her own young adults (ages 21, 19 and 17). Exploring their passions and interests and interviewing other young adults along the way. 
4. Personal time of rest and renewal. The sabbatical also includes time of rest: gardening, walking, reading, and private retreats.

Learn More on March 23

Want to hear more? Have questions? Join Pastor Lauren for a “Sabbatical Q and A Session” on Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. over zoom. Click here to sign up for the March 23 online discussion.