South Main Baptist Church values the notion of Sabbath and, as a policy, provides time and space for periodic sabbaticals to our ministerial staff after having served the church for a period of seven years. Relevant research is persuasive about the utility and benefits of such time off to recharge and renew one's call to the work of being a minister. In light of this research and the commitment of our church to this policy, our annual budget provides funding for sabbatical time for our ministers.
As their sabbatical time approaches, we ask our ministers to earnestly pray and consider their time away, to plan activities which provide this rest and sense of renewal, and also to devote some portion of their time away to an endeavor which will offer some benefit to the church in the context of their particular ministry.
Our Minister for Pastoral Care, Greg Funderburk, will be on sabbatical this year from July 27 to September 19. During this time, Greg will travel on his own abroad while writing, and spend time with his family in Houston, New York, Waco, and Los Angeles. Greg's ministry—focused on providing pastoral care to our members—has expanded to some degree in the past few years as an author of three books with a fourth now under contract. As he is away, he anticipates undertaking a new writing project aimed at offering insight to our congregation and others regarding the importance of our faith and our faith communities as we pursue not only meaning in our lives, but an authentic and sustaining hope in the face of the many trials our modern world presents.
Our ministerial staff, Greg this year in particular, are grateful for our church's commitment to providing sabbatical time away for our ministers. Please pray for Greg during this time of sabbatical as well as the rest of our staff as they cover his duties during this season.
