Doug’s FPC Sabbatical Grant Proposal

Rom. 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”  16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God

Motion for Congegational Meeting on May 10th- To approve Doug’s application to gain a National Clergy Renewal Grant from The Lilly Endowment for a sabbatical from Dec. 1, 2010 through March 1, 2011.

Please contact Doug if you have any questions, Dougb@fpcbellingham.org or 360 734-5510 x11.  This 2 page summary and/or the grant application are available at the church office, at the lobby table, and at the church web-site.  Warning- it is a bit long and somewhat soporific.

Information
Doug is now in the 7th year of employment here at FPC and eligible for a 3 month Sabbatical Leave according to his Terms of Call and the FPC Sabbatical Policy.  There is a Sabbatical Grant available to pastors from the Lilly Endowment Inc for up to $50,000.  $15,000 of this grant goes towards a replacement pastor for the church. Information about the Grant is available at http://www.clergyrenewal.org/ .

Sabbatical Theme
The basic theme of the Sabbatical would be to explore the Theology of Adoption.  This would include studying the texts about adoption, books about adoption theology, and travel and dialogue with different theologians that have been exploring these ideas.  The minor theme of the season would be grief as the sabbatical would begin on the seventh year after Zach died.  There would be three big events of this sabbatical:
•    A three-week December trip (Christmas Break) to take Zoe back to Vietnam, her country of birth. 
•    A January, M.L.K.-break trip to Chicago to interact with theologians in the Midwest who have been working on the theology of adoption. 
•    A February trip to Hawaii to mark the beginning of the seventh year without Zachary in our lives, this would mirror the trip we took six years previously after he died.
As well there would be some small trips to around this area for study and renewal.

Grant Process
Critical to the success of this venture and the acceptance of this proposal is the church’s approval and encouragement, therefore this whole application has included input through the past 3 months from Doug’s Support Team, his family, the FPC Staff, the Personnel Committee, Session, and others in the congregation.

There will be a congregational meeting to discuss the Application and vote on it on May 10th and if approved the application will be submitted on the 11th.  We will hear in October about the answer, until then you are invited to pray that it will be received favorably.

Church Events around this Season
Part of the grant would include money to hire a Pastor for the time Doug is gone as well as 2 all-church gatherings before and after the sabbatical season to celebrate and learn together.  Doug will continue to blog throughout the season and then preach a sermon series and a short class on what he has been learning.

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

What is the idea behind sabbatical?
Sabbatical is rooted in the Jewish idea of Sabbath and rhythms of life.  God has set apart the 7th day, and we are to remember it and keep it holy.  As well God set apart the 7th year.  During that year the land would lie fallow and it was a year of rest.
but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land, a Sabbath for the LORD: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. Lev. 25:4

What is the benefit to the church?
A sabbatical is a chance for a pastor to do something different, a chance to be renewed and to gain new perspective on ministry and life.  As well as the benefit of a hopefully renewed and healthier pastor, there is the benefit of shared learning of the whole community throughout the process. 

Does the church continue your salary during the sabbatical?
Yes, that is part of the terms of call and the grant application, but per the church sabbatical policy there is no other money, other than budgeted study leave, that will go towards this time.


What Intrigues you about Adoption Theology?
Some of my interest is biographical, after adopting Zoe I have never looked at these texts the same way, they are more personal.  As well though, at the end of my previous Sabbatical to Scotland I learned that John Calvin said that the Spirit of Adoption is the most important name of the Holy Spirit.  That has always seemed like an intriguing thought worthy of more study.



What are the financial ramifications to the church?

With the grant the church will gain a temporary pastor to work throughout the time that I am gone and will not need to pay extra for preachers.  With another grant, or no grant, those duties will be worked out with the staff and local people in the community and congregation, and there will need to be some pulpit supply money needed.

What if you don’t get the grant?

Well there are some smaller grants available that we would pursue.  If none of those come through we will probably stick with the same plan, but on a cheaper and smaller scale.


What about your family?
They all have fond memories of our previous Sabbatical in Scotland in 2000 so they are very excited and we have been talking about a return trip to Vietnam since the day we arrived there.



How many Grants are approved every year?
Last year there were 133 applications approved with 5 of them coming from Washington State, the list is available at, http://www.clergyrenewal.org/pdfs/NCRP2008Winners.pdf .

What can the church do?
First, the church can vote their approval to submit the application.  After that we can all pray for this and other ways to live out this healthy God-created rhythm.

Are sabbaticals only for Academics and Pastors?
Goodness no!  In the Bible the plan seems to be that everyone would have a seventh year opportunity to concentrate on different things and to be renewed.

Rev. Doug Bunnell
First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham
1031 N. Garden St.
Bellingham WA 98225
Dougb@fpcbellingham.org, http://www.fpcbellingham.org/
Phone 360 734-5510 x11
Fax- 360 647-7958
"There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more or any less than He does right now."