David Wood   Title: "Cultivating a Sabbatical Imagination:  Rationale, Timing, Funding, and Implementation"

Workshop Description:

Just about every pastoral leader thinks a sabbatical is a good idea.  But moving from idea to reality can feel like a leap longer than faith...especially when congregations and other ministry contexts so often find the idea of a sabbatical inconceivable.   In this workshop we will explore the rationale for a sabbatical (for pastoral leaders and congregations/other ministries), when and for how long to take a sabbatical, and different options for funding a sabbatical.  We will also explore what makes for an effective process for pastoral leaders and people in exploring the possibility of a sabbatical.  This workshop will reform and refine your basic assumptions about sabbaticals and help you to conceive of way to move forward in planning your own.  The workshop leader, David J. Wood, has had extensive experience in establishing nationally recognized sabbatical programs funded through the Lilly Endowment.

Presenter:

 

The Reverend David J. Wood is pastor of First Baptist Church, Gardiner, Maine, and Coordinator of the Transition into Ministry Grants Program (funded by The Lilly Endowment. His prior ministry included serving as associate pastor of the American Church in Paris and Associate Director of the Louisville Institute. David is married to Jennifer T. Wood and they have three teenaged children.

David is well known as a keynote presenter for the Strong in the Lord conference on the imperative of friendship. He has led a number of retreats, has spoken frequently on that subject and is currently writing a book to address that need in lives of pastoral leaders.