The blog of bethquick.com - Sermons/Lectionary Notes/Resources for Ministry
For clergy: How many Sundays are you out of the pulpit each year?
Beth,
I know I have been taken to task on this issue by at least one of my congregation members. Her reasoning is , "I resent you doing these things with the Conference, when we are the onespaying your salary." Not a bad line of reasoning, but it thoroughly discounts the idea that we are connectional in nature.
As for how many Sundays I miss, it is usually around 10 (4 vacation, 2 Continuing Ed, 2 rotational preaching, 1 Camp, 1 Annual Conference). Then there are the Sundays I voluntarily leave the pulpit to others (which sometimes coincides with the others, but not always) like Laity Sunday, UMW Sunday, Youth/Camp Sunday, and Special Speakers - like the Conference Evangelist. All in all I guess it works out to about 16 Sundays I am out of the pulpit.
The biggest concern seems to come when they come right in a row, or very close together.
Peace,
DC
I'm part time, so my allowed days out are adjusted. This past conference year it was:
1 for AC/YAC
2 vacation
1 pulpit exchange
Additionally, I was present for church but not in the pulpit on Laity Sunday.
In OR-ID we have one month of vacation (different people count it differently) which I interpret to mean 4 Sunday's off. Plus one for Annual Conference (depending on where AC is etc.), one for camp, and one for continuing ed. So a total of 7 Sunday’s a year. There are also several "lay led" events which I am present in worship, but not "in the pulpit": UMM Sunday, Laity Sunday, New Consecration Sunday, UMW Sunday, and Pulpit swap Sunday (every Labor Day we share worship with the Presbyterian church next door and worship together, alternating preachers and buildings - whosever building we are using the other pastor preaches).
Beth,
We get 4 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks continuing ed ,plus one week spiritual renewal. Even though you take 4 off for AC and Conference responsibilities that does not include your vacation. Make sure you take it!! Empower the laity and make use of retired clergy. If not for your health and sanity...then for the pastor who will follow you!!
See you Sat.
Richelle
Hi Beth,
I am out of the pulpit for my 5 sundays a year holiday. Prior to ordination there was an extra Sunday off. Other than that I am in the pupit every Sunday in the morning and often in the evening.
Our (Uk) Circuit system means that I am in different pulpits quite often. I am in a 12 Church circuit. I have pastoral care of 2 churches. The larger gets me about 6 times in each 3 months plan and the smaller gets me about 3/4 times (Both only have morning services). The other Sundays when not holiday, are either elsewhere in the Circuit or on exchange on other Circuits.
Nobody complains about that but I am currently going through a phase of questioning how worship should be and so long to see some examples of emerging church etc. Unfortunately it is hard to do so other than whilst on holiday - that is until I get a sabbatical. Sadly this is 8 years away.
Coming back to your post, we are connexional and so I agree that ir is good that you have your wider responsibilities and involvements. Reading what you blog and preach, I suspect this actually enriches your church and future churches where you will be called to serve.
As sometimes happens, your post reminds me that whilst much unites UK and US Methodism, we work in very different situations.
At this point in my ministry I am allowed 3 weeks vacation(after 10 years we get 4). I am finding out that I need them. I don't take off for annual conference, but we begin on Sunday evening. I have my lay leader report the week after and I give a mini-report on the spiritual aspects of conference as well. I am here for laity Sunday. Many pastors take that opportunity to visit somewhere else. I feel very strongly in supporting my laity, and that means being here when they do the service.
So that means 3 Sundays for vacation. I will also probably do an Emmaus Walk at some point througout the year. And there may be a time or two when I ask someone in the congregation to share the message. I will be there, but not preach.
Now if I'm sick or needed somewhere else at some point (like the time I baptized my nephews up in TN), I don't worry about it. This is because I'm here throughout the week, every week of the year basically, on call 24/7 to care for and be a pastor to these folks here.
Don't let it bother you to be absent. I'm sure you're doing a lot for those people that they will never even know about.
As an Episcopal priest, I have 4 vacation Sundays, and 2 continuing ed. Sundays. Having finished my first year of ordination, I saw I only took 1 vacation Sunday. I had 3 other times where I celebrated Mass at another church, and I had to inform my vestry that those don't count. They've also allowed me to carry over the vacation days I didn't take.
As we celebrate Eucharist every Sunday, I'm inviting the congregation to lead themselves in Morning Prayer, the other authorized Sunday-morning worship in our Church, that can be led by laity.
Our annual diocesan convention used to carry over until Sundays, but they've changed that so clergy could be back in their congregations for Mass. Kinda wish we'd go back to the old days.
The concern about taking the Sundays right in a row, or close together, is prevalent in my church, too.
3-4 Sundays of Vacation (I'm learning to take all my vacation, something I haven't done in the past)
1 - 2 Sundays for Retreats, camps, etc.
0-1 Sunday for Continuing Ed
1 Annual Conference
1-2 Sunday for Laity Sunday & Special Guests
I can't beleive David is out of the pulpit 16 Sundays a year. I just missed 3 Sundays in a row (2 vacation & 1 for a Walk to Emmaus) and I'm feeling a bit disconnected and can't wait to be preaching this week.
During the past six years, I was out 2 Sundays a year. I didn't have any other responsibilities that took me away but both congregations allowed me two Sundays a year for vacation. When you work full-time during the week and then have to cover a church, it helps to get some time off.
I have a senior pastor that I work with. We help each other out, and so we can each miss between 6-10. It works out good for us.
Thanks for the great comments! Amazing how much variety there is, even for those from the same tradition.
I wish I got to church more often during the summers, but my parents just don't have the will to take me, and the church is too far to bike or walk to.
Still figuring it out now that I'm an associate. But when I was the pastor of the church, I planned on 4-5 Sundays out of the pulpit in my church. Our Annual Conference is not over a Sunday, so that's not an issue (Mon-Thurs.), and none of my conference board work takes me out on a Sunday either. So...
1 out for Laity Sunday, but still at church.
Then, roughly 4, usually spread out quarterly for vacation or continuing education (2 and 2, roughly). Our conference gives vacation weeks out gradually over years of service: 2, then 3, then 4 weeks. But I decided to plan on taking about 4 Sundays per year, spread out, just to have a regular break.
My first response was "as often as possible," but I think that is because it's Sunday afternoon and I'm tired.
I think I've missed 12 this year because of various and sundry. The year before it was 2. So, an average of 7 a year for 2 years. One about every other month.
Richelle is my pastor. How cool is that?
This year I have taken three Sundays. The first was after Easter for some R&R. It had been 14 months since I had been gone on a Sunday. We took two weeks vacation last month. It had been six years since I had taken two Sundays in a row. I'm not connected to conference programs and I don't take continuing ed. that requires a weekend.
I know these have not been good habits for me. I have four weeks of vacation to take each year This year I plan to take my remaining two.
Last year I was out of the pulpit 6 Sundays: 2 weeks vacation, 1 for General Synod, 1 for Youth Sunday, 1 for a guest speaker from Habitat for Humanity, and 1 for a neutral pulpit.
This year I project 5: 4 weeks vacation and 1 for when my Association Minister comes to preach. I wonder if we'll have a Youth Sunday this year.
Well, I am out of the pulpit at least once a month while our associate pastor preaches. Most of these Sundays, I am present, but not preaching. Some count it as "gone" - others don't. I am out Conference Sunday and at least two vacation Sundays which sometimes falls on the same Sunday our associate is preaching, although this year we were both gone on the same Sunday once.
Western NY Conference standards are:
4 weeks vacation
1 week Conference Committment (committee work, camp, etc)
1 week cont. ed.
1 week spiritual renewal
Disciplinary standards include a sabbatical month once every quyadrennium.
Few actually stick to this list including me, usually taking fewer times away. I will also lead a church mission trip and consider it part of my church ministry.
I try to schedule lay-led services in my absence using our in-house speakers and leaders.
There is one retired United Pastor pastor in our Conference who heads to Florida for the winters and gives the pulpit over to the laity for the season. Don't know how he does it or why someone has not sought to correct the issue...
WNY Conference Elder
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