Montreat Presbyterian Church
During Sabbatical
May 9-July 31, 2022
Sabbatical 2022 Logistics
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Basics
Sabbaticals in ecclesiastical circles are also known as "Ministry Renewal Leave." Keith will be away and/or out of regular contact from May 9, 2022 through July 31, 2022.
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Pastoral Coverage
Emergency Pastoral Care (Congregational Care Committee/Session have discretion)
Are you in need of
emergency pastoral care?
Please contact our Clerk of Session
Ellen Dean (910-277-6834, or ellengdean@gmail.com),
who can help to connect you
with appropriate pastoral care.
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Heath Rada
828-669-0070
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Dr. Heath Rada is our primary designated Emergency Pastoral Caregiver during the pastor's sabbatical. On a limited basis, Heath may also be available for non-emergency pastoral consultation; please contact him directly if you would like to see if this can be arranged. Dr. Rada was the 2014-2016 moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), is a past president of the American Red Cross and of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, and was a pivotal figure in the reaffirmation of Montreat Presbyterian Church as a congregation of the PC(USA). He and his wife, Peggy, have been stalwart friends of our church for many, many years. They are longtime, active members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, NC.
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Preaching and Worship Leadership (Worship & Music Committee/Session have discretion)
Keith will be away for two regular Sundays of MPC worship, May 15 and 22, before the Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan service on May 29 and the following ten Sundays of the Summer Worship Series. Regular procedures are being used to secure guest preachers for May 15 and 22.
Our guest preacher on May 15 will be the Rev. Dr. Wanda Neely, with the Rev. Dr. Bill Neely serving as liturgist.
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Our guest preacher on May 22 will be the Rev. Caroline Sell, with Dr. Heath Rada serving as liturgist that day.
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The Montreat Scottish Society arranges the Kirkin’ (May 29, 2022), and the Montreat Conference Center arranges the Summer Worship Series (June 5-August 7, 2022).
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Moderatorial Duties (Session has some discretion)
G-1.0504 allows the installed pastor, “if it is impractical for the pastor to preside,” to invite another Minster of Word & Sacrament who is a member of the presbytery. There will be two stated session meetings during the sabbatical (May 17, June 21).
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The Rev. Dr. Byron Wade, General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina, will moderate the session meeting on May 17.
The Rev. Bob Tuttle, Parish Associate at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, will moderate the session meeting on June 21.
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Administrative Needs (Personnel Committee/Session have discretion)
Our Office Administrator will maintain the office and all communications, and will consult with and/or report to the Clerk of Session and/or the Personnel Committee as necessary.
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Background
In 2020, the pastor was offered a 2021 sabbatical at full pay and benefits, to be arranged at his own discretion, for eight weeks, with the encouragement to create up to a 12-week renewal leave using time from the two weeks of study leave and four weeks of vacation already established in the annual terms of call. As the pandemic had resulted in decreased availability of travel and opportunities, the pastor asked to postpone the sabbatical from the seventh year of ministry to 2022. The Personnel Committee and Session agreed. The pastor has since determined not to postpone it any further, but to create a Ministry Renewal Leave that will be appropriate regardless of external circumstances.
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Q. If I am in need of pastoral care for myself or a loved one in our church, to whom can I reach out?
A. Please contact our Clerk of Session Ellen Dean:
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910-277-6834 ellengdean@gmail.com
Ellen can help to connect you to appropriate pastoral care.
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Our primary Emergency Pastoral Caregiver is Dr. Heath Rada. Other experienced caregivers will be on call on days when Heath is unavailable.
Q. Who is making sure the church is still functioning when the pastor isn't here?
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A. The pastor is only one role among many in a Presbyterian congregation. The session, staff, committees, church officers, members, supporting members, worshipers, volunteers and others are all still doing the many and varied ministries of the people of God in Montreat Presbyterian Church.
Some of the roles of the pastor which are being covered by others during sabbatical are addressed on this page (see left).
Visit the church website (linked above) to find out more about us.
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Q. OK, but seriously, who?
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A. The Clerk of Session is Ellen Dean.
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Q. Am I going to keep getting midweek prayer services in my email inbox all summer? I thought Keith was supposed to be away, out of contact and not doing things like that.
A. Starting the second week of May and extending throughout the time that the pastor is away, the Worship & Music Committee has decided to provide midweek prayer services from the archives for the use of any who find them valuable.
Q. What about the Fourth Sunday 4:00 P.M. services at Givens Highland Farms that MPC's staff usually leads?
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A. GHF Chaplain Hunter Preston will lead those services along with a volunteer musician resident on the fourth Sundays in May, June and July. Keith and Vivian will lead the service as usual on April 24, and will resume representing MPC at those Fourth Sunday 4:00 P.M. services starting August 28.
Q. Late each week, we receive "From the Pastor's Desk" in our email. Will that continue?
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A. FTPD has been closed down at least for the duration of the pastor's sabbatical. The Montreat Memo will continue to be the primary weekly source of current information coming from the church office. (The Memo is ordinarily sent out on Tuesday afternoons.)
Q. I've got some information Keith will want to hear about, and it doesn't look like my emails or texts to him are being read. How can I reach him?
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A. Lynn Gilliland is the assigned point of contact between Keith and the church during sabbatical (May 9-July 31). Keith is being instructed not to engage as pastor during that time; any communications for which it is determined that sabbatical needs to be interrupted will come through Lynn. The pastor will be briefed upon his return during the first week of August.