Mattapoisett Congregational Church has received a grant in the amount of $49,916 to enable its minister, Reverend Amy Lignitz Harken, to participate in the 2015 National Clergy Renewal Program. Mattapoisett Congregational Church is one of 144 congregations across the country selected to participate in this competitive grant program, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. The program’s grants allow Christian congregations to support their pastors with the gift of extended time away from their ministerial duties and responsibilities. The approach respects the “Sabbath time” concept, offering ministers a carefully considered respite that may include travel, study, rest, immersive and cultural experiences and prayer.
Reverend Lignitz Harken will take her sabbatical in the months of August, September and October 2016. She and her husband, Bruce, plan to travel in Europe and the United States, engaging in workshops, retreats and connecting with family. During Reverend Amy’s absence, the Reverend Cynthia Good will provide pastoral care to the church. For its part, the church will host a number of community activities, aimed at breathing new life into its historic role as the heartbeat of Mattapoisett and surrounding towns.
The National Clergy Renewal Program – collaborative in nature and implementation – allows congregations to partner with their ministers in developing an experience that addresses their unique renewal needs and aspirations. “Lilly Endowment intends for this program to enable pastors to live for a while at a different pace and in a new environment, in Sabbath time and space,” said Dr. Christopher L. Coble, vice president for religion at the Endowment. “We can think of no better way to honor these hardworking, faithful women and men than to help them experience personal growth and spiritual renewal in ways that they themselves design and find meaningful. These renewal experiences are transformative for pastors, their families and their congregations.”