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Sabbatical |
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Our minister, Rev. Bill Gupton, will be on sabbatical from October 1, 2008 until March 8, 2009. This page will provide more information on the upcoming sabbatical. |
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A Message from Bill
As I enter my seventh year as minister of Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church, I am awed and humbled by the level of dedication and commitment to this beloved community shared by so many volunteers and lay leaders. Truly we embody the philosophy, “it takes a village.” During the upcoming church year, that philosophy will guide you to great success, and inform all that you do and accomplish during the 22 weeks I am away on sabbatical.
A sabbatical, while common in the ministry, academia, and the caring professions, is something new to us at Heritage. I am the church’s first full-time settled minister in more than a generation, and thus, the first in quite some time to have served long enough to earn a sabbatical. While the experience is new for you, and the church, it is also a first for me. We will both, you and I, be learning and growing through this time – which, after all, is the purpose of a sabbatical! It will be not only a time of reflection and renewal for me – it will be a time of reflection and renewal for HUUC as well.
We have strong, committed volunteers. We have a very capable, creative, professional staff – the finest I have ever had the privilege to work with. In short, there are exciting possibilities for new growth and energy during the sabbatical. I look forward not only to sharing with you what I have learned, but also to learning about what you have learned – about yourselves, and about Heritage Church!
May our journeys bring new light and new love to this beloved congregation.
Imagine, Rev. Bill |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sabbatical? A sabbatical is a time for rest, renewal, reading, meditation, reflection, study, and travel. Sabbatical leaves are most common in education and the caring professions, where the emotional and psychological demands are great and the benefits from recharging and renewal are immediate. Most Unitarian Universalist congregations today provide their ministers with sabbatical leaves similar to the one our minister will be taking from October 1, 2008 to March 8, 2009.
Why a sabbatical? Rev. Bill is taking a sabbatical, as do most Unitarian Universalist ministers who have served the same congregation for an extended period of time. His contract (signed in 2002) provided for sabbatical time which accrues at the rate of four weeks per year of service to our church, to be taken no earlier than after four years of service but before seven years. Rev. Bill is completing his sixth year as our full-time minister. A called minister’s job cannot be measured by a 40 hour week. Recognizing the vast amount of time and energy required to care for a congregation, the UUA advises congregations to grant their ministers time off for study, renewal, reflection, and recreation. As stipulated in our employment contract, Rev. Bill will receive his regular salary during his sabbatical.
What will Rev. Bill do? Rev. Bill plans to focus his sabbatical energies on studying, visiting and researching churches which have successfully moved from the pastoral style to a program style (roughly from less than 150 members to more than 150 members). In our call letter to Bill in 2002, when we asked him to come to Heritage, the desire of Heritage to move from a pastoral to a program sized church was specifically stated. In addition, Rev. Bill will be studying and learning more about congregational administration – something which will become more important as our community grows.
Who will take his place in the pulpit? We are blessed at HUUC to have a skilled and active Worship Committee, which has been working on filling the pulpit during Bill’s sabbatical. Other UU ministers, lay persons, and outside speakers will preach during Bill’s sabbatical. To date, more than half of the 22 open Sundays during the sabbatical have already been filled with an exciting variety of guest speakers.
How will pastoral care be handled? Much of what Rev. Bill does is behind the scenes and includes making hospital visits and being available for those who need him. During the sabbatical, we will be relying on our Care Committee to provide that kind of outreach to our members and friends. For those who need short-term counseling or assistance, the Care Committee will be prepared to make referrals to community resources, if appropriate. If you know of someone who may need the assistance of the Care Committee, please contact Suzanne Horton, chair. Our Care Committee and our loving community will handle the pastoral needs of the congregation. In addition, three local UU ministers will be on-call for emergencies during the sabbatical.
What about administrative responsibilities? Our Office Manager, Denise Martinez, will continue her administrative support duties during Bill’s absence. The Sabbatical Team members, Board of Trustee members, and other staff will also take on some of the duties that Bill usually handles.
What will be the congregation’s focus during Rev. Bill’s sabbatical? It is not only Rev. Bill who will be on sabbatical, but our whole community will have the opportunity to take time to reflect, renew, and re-energize during these five months. As we grow to a larger community, lay leaders will take on increasing levels of responsibility. This time will help HUUC members and friends support one another while deepening and strengthening the community. It will also allow us to explore individual talents and how they can be used to build community. Our congregation can use this time to continue our progress toward the goals that have been set in our strategic plan, look at the issues that were raised by our recent congregational consultation process, and focus on community health and enhancing communication.
What about Religious Education? Religious Education programs will continue as usual for both children and adults. Our Religious Education Director, Hollie Johnson, will manage Children’s R.E., and the Adult R.E. Committee will continue to work to provide quality adult programs.
Will Rev. Bill be available? A sabbatical allows the minister to take a complete break from the roles and responsibilities of his or her position. Thus, please respect this time of rest and renewal by refraining from contacting Rev. Bill during the sabbatical period. Of course, if you happen to see him around town, feel free to say hello, but please do not discuss church business.
What about special services? Rev. Bill will not be available for special services such as weddings, unions, baby dedications, or memorial services during his sabbatical. Other local UU ministers have agreed to be on call in case of emergencies. If you have a true emergency that requires ministerial attention and cannot be handled by our Care Committee, please contact a member of the Sabbatical Team or the Board President. |
