Dear Church Family,
The idea of Sabbath and renewal is about to become very real for me. Soon, I will be taking a period of Renewal Leave—a time for me to step back from my pastoral duties, rest, discern, and renew my spirit. This is my chance to practice what I’ve been preaching about Sabbath rest.
The plan for this Renewal Leave can be found below. It should answer important questions you may have. Please note, I am not leaving the church, I am merely taking a Leave. Please read through this plan thoroughly and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Renewal Leave is not just about resting; it’s about rediscovering God’s love and calling in my life. I’ll be focusing on personal spiritual growth, spending time with my family, and seeking God’s guidance for our ministry’s future, as well as my own.
I trust this time will not only refresh me but also bring new energy and vision for our church. While I’m away, I’m confident our church will continue to thrive under our dedicated leadership team.
I look forward to returning with renewed strength and purpose, ready to continue the journey God has set before us. I ask for your prayers during this time of renewal and encourage you to find your own moments of Sabbath rest in the coming weeks.
In the Sabbath, we do not simply find rest; we find God. May we all discover the beauty and power of this sacred gift in our lives.
Blessings and Prayers,
-Rev. Bradley Swire
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church in ¶350.3 recognizes that clergy serving local churches need a time of refreshment which goes beyond the disciplinary requirements for continuing education and spiritual growth. Occasionally clergy need a time of renewal to be the best leader. Renewal leave is a time for clergy to take a respite from the normal exercise of pastoral ministry. The Book of Discipline states that clergy “may request a formational and spiritual growth leave of up to six months while continuing to hold an appointment in the local church. Such leaves are available to clergy members who have held full-time appointments for at least six years.”
Based on the Gospel of Mark, where after returning from their missionary journey Jesus invited the disciples to “come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.” Renewal Leave is not “empty” or unstructured or task oriented but is an intentional time of purposeful activity and rest promoting refreshment and renewal.
Another way to think about Renewal Leave is to equate it with a sabbatical. The word sabbatical is rooted in the biblical concept of Sabbath (to “rest” or “cease”). A sabbatical is essentially like stringing together a number of Sabbath days. A Sabbath is “set aside” time that God consecrates and makes holy.
Research continues to show pastoral work is acutely stressful for clergy and their families. Consider the statistics:
- 94% share the processing of extremes (deaths, births, pettiness, tragedies, etc.) as emotionally taxing
- 91% have experienced some form of burnout or fatigue, often working 60-80 hours per week
- 80% feel pressured to serve in ways that cause undue burdens on their families
- 78% report having vacation and personal time interrupted with ministry tasks and expectations
- 52% feel they cannot possibly meet their church’s expectations
- 44% do not regularly have a day off
Renewal leave is a time to shift gears, disengage, study, reflect, rest, and travel. Renewal leave is more than vacation from meetings, budgets, sermons, shepherding, etc. Clergy need to be “taken out of circulation” to re-vision and re-structure their lives to best align with Jesus.
This time also helps advance the congregation: trusting that God will do incredible work within the leadership and ministries, across the board, as a result.
The intent is for clergy to return refreshed with renewed energy for continued ministry, often with a fresh vision, as well. The congregation can engage in new ministry with lay leadership while the pastor is on Renewal Leave. Often, new leaders emerge in the local church as people step up to assume new responsibility.
September 2, 2024 – November 30, 2024
- Rev. Bradley is planning to return to the pulpit on Sunday, December 1.
- Rest and recharge his spiritual batteries
- Clergy burnout is real. It’s best to identify when it’s approaching and proactively address it. Having served under appointment for 12 years, Rev. Bradley has never taken any type of extended leave. He will use this time to renew his spirit, and to reconnect with spiritual disciplines and possibly engage in some new ones. This will also include time for a personal retreat away.
- Focus on spending time with family
- He would like to build stronger relationships with Kate, Allison, and Karra. This means being intentionally present with them and being together more as a family. They hope to spend a weekend or two away around school breaks during the fall.
- Continuing education and hobbies
- Having just completed the Practical Church Leadership and MBA program, this will be a great time to reflect on how to put that education into practical use for the church. This will likely include some coaching sessions, counseling, and connecting with colleagues. On the flip side, he would like to spend some time away from ministry matters and participate in some new and interesting hobbies, such as traveling and obtaining his Private Pilot’s License.
- Discernment
- He will spend time thinking, researching, and in prayer for the future of his ministry and that of the church. The intent is to return refreshed with renewed energy for continued ministry, with fresh ideas for the vision and future of the church.
The church will continue as usual, seeking to live into your vision that all people matter to God and to you! All leadership teams, committees, and ministries will continue as usual.
The church will continue to worship as usual, with a preaching rotation to include other pastors, connectional and community ministry leaders, and church laity. Several ministries from within the church will be tasked with leading selected worship services. Rev. Bradley will arrange all this prior to the beginning of his leave.
Most pastoral care will be handled from within as you already do a great job of caring for one another, however extreme cases of need will need to be reported to Diane in the Office. She will connect with one of the pastors serving as “on-call” during this time. These pastors include Rev. Kennon Pickett (Blackwater), Rev. Austin Rhinehart (Zachary), and Rev. Allison Sikes (St. Francisville).
If dire circumstances warrant the need, then Rev. Bradley will be reachable through Diane in the Office. Kate and the girls will continue attending as they normally would. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers for our pastoral family.