The Global Chant Group at OVUCC with leader Mark Townley
Georgine Hurst
A definition of sabbatical is any extended period of leave from one’s usual work, especially for rest, to acquire new skills or training, or exploration. The use of sabbaticals is most common in academia where the practice repeats every 7 years traditionally, but is trending to every 3.5 years. It is also used by clergy, medical doctors, and corporate employees for personal renewal and burnout prevention.
A notable and most unusual experience of the sabbatical process recently involved not only a member of the clergy, but the entire congregation. After an extensive application process, Reverend Drew Terry and Oro Valley United Church of Christ (OVUCC) were awarded one of 200 grants in the U.S. by the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program for the summer of 2024. This was one out of four awarded in Arizona. The total award for OVUCC was almost $50,000. Of that, approximately $42,000 covered the minister and his family’s transportation, lodging, tuition/fees and meals. Another $7,600 covered the congregation’s renewal activities and pulpit supply while the pastor was away. Both the minister and the congregation followed strict guidelines for the use of the funds.
The church formed a Sabbatical Leadership Volunteer Team. They used the church Vision as a base starting point, mirrored the minister’s Pilgrimage theme, and solicited input from church members. Some of the highlights:
Church Retreat Weekend. Saturday was conducted off-site using the facilities of St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church. Over the course of the day members internalized their personal spirituality. They came to know each other better and built a sense of camaraderie. There were movement exercises and wonderful food at lunch and dinner. They heard two talented teen musicians on piano and violin that day and at Sunday’s service. A weekend to remember!
Meals. As was done at the Retreat, meals were seen as a parallel to Jesus who often broke bread with his disciples and of course left us with The Last Supper. The food then was carefully planned for the summer. As a result it promoted friendship, fellowship, and a chance to get to know visitors.
Music. The music of the summer “won all of our hearts” and was produced by church music director Jose Solozano. In addition to the Retreat music, Jose secured a violin/harp brother/sister teen duo, a Global Chant Group, a Taize prayer service—named after a community of monks in France, and chants were led by an operatic tenor singer.
Celtic service timed simultaneously to the minister’s stop in Iona, Scotland. Church members led some Sunday services, in addition to guest clergy. Guest speakers were from the non-profits, Interfaith Community Services, the Amphi Foundation, and Wycliff Bible Translation Ministry.
It was summer to remember!