To the Congregation of First Parish of Watertown –
I am writing today to fill you in on some exciting long-range plans – Reverend Sophia is planning to take a sabbatical at the end of her seventh year of ministry with us, from Jan 2028 to May 2028. I know some of you have already heard about these plans, and the Parish Committee wanted to bring everyone up to speed on our conversations with Reverend Sophia about what a clergy sabbatical is and what the planning process will entail.
What is a clergy sabbatical?
A clergy sabbatical is an extended period away from regular duties for a minister to rest, renew, and re-center their spiritual and personal life. Sabbaticals allow ministers to step away from the demands of daily parish life and allow for intentional exploration, reflection, and spiritual deepening with the aim of regaining enthusiasm and creativity in their ministries. They are also not solely for clergy – as they are times of deep renewal and creatively for congregations as well. Sabbaticals are vital to the sustained health of our ministry.
How does a clergy sabbatical differ from an academic sabbatical?
Clergy sabbaticals are not like academic sabbaticals in which individual faculty conduct their own research projects. They are not simply long vacations or time to ‘produce something’ that the congregation can measure. This doesn’t mean that ministers don’t produce things during a sabbatical (like the writing of a book or completing a creative project), but unlike academic sabbaticals, this isn’t an expectation or requirement. Rather, as outlined in UUA ministerial contracts, “The Minister may use sabbatical leave for study, education, writing, meditation, and other forms of professional, religious, spiritual, or personal growth.”
What is the benefit of a sabbatical for a congregation?
Clergy sabbaticals help the congregational system renew itself in many ways by sharing duties with others, expanding the skill set of leadership, inviting new leaders, and breaking down power and knowledge silos. Individuals “filling in” for the minister develop new knowledge and new skills. Taking time away from one another grounds the minister and the congregation to look ahead to the next step. Sometimes, a minister shares what they’ll be exploring on their sabbatical, and the congregation simultaneously and intentionally explores some of the same topics from their perspective, so that when the sabbatical is over both congregation and minister have had a sense of renewal and fresh eyes looking towards the future.
What does Reverend Sophia plan to do on her sabbatical?
While Rev. Sophia is still discerning the specific details of her sabbatical, she plans to use these five months to tend to the question of ‘what will make her heart and ministry sing?’ Answering this question will certainly come in many forms. Her goal will be to return to our ministry together with renewed enthusiasm and creativity, and a deepened clarity around her ministerial call. Five months is what Rev. Sophia needs to fully meet this goal, following many years of ministry in our faith – this is Rev. Sophia’s first sabbatical since her call to ministry in 2015. In the months ahead, Rev. Sophia will be sharing more about her plans and discernment process with us all
What is the timeline for the planning process at FPW?
In Dec. 2025, Rev. Sophia and the Parish Committee will start assembling a FPW Sabbatical Team to begin the planning process. This team will partner with Rev. Sophia and Parish Committee to ensure that we put systems and plans in place that not only meet the needs of this congregation in Rev. Sophia’s absence, but will also help us to discern how this church might embark on spiritual renewal and meaning-making during this time.This team will embark on this discernment process together through the winter and spring of 2026, with more information for the congregation by the Annual Meeting and to inform ongoing planning in 2026-27.
Who will fill in for Rev. Sophia in her absence?
We are only at the beginning of this planning process and are glad to have plenty of time to discern this well! Some UU congregations hire a “Sabbatical Minister” (which is usually a 1/4 to 1/2-time position); others invest in guest preachers, pastoral care coverage, or the staff they currently employ to meet the needs of the church. The Parish Committee, with the guidance and recommendations of Rev. Sophia, the Sabbatical Team, our financial stewards, and the congregation, will determine what will best meet this church’s needs.
What will be the budget impacts of Reverend Sophia’s sabbatical?
The Parish Committee will use the information generated by the Sabbatical Team this winter to recommend the creation of a FPW sabbatical fund, starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year. We expect specifics for planning the sabbatical will be ironed out in 2026-27, so the budget impacts will be clearly outlined for inclusion in the budget for the 2027-28 fiscal year.
We are excited to embark on this new adventure with Reverend Sophia and feel confident that it will be a generative time for her as well as for the congregation as a whole. If anyone has questions, please feel free to write me back directly, and I will relay them to the Parish Committee for discussion.
With gratitude,
Norah M. (Chair)
on behalf of the Parish Committee: John P. (Vice-Chair), Sue S., Martha P., Missy S., Justin G. and Virginia R.
Parish Committee
The church is governed by the Parish Committee, made up of seven members elected by the congregation at the Annual Meeting for a term of three years. The Parish Committee sets policy, hires staff, and manages the overall direction and business of the church.