Pastor Sabbatical Program

Sabbaticals are an opportunity for interested pastors to take up residence at AMBS for a short time (a few weeks to six months or more). These sabbatical guests are welcomed as full members of the AMBS community and invited to participate in chapels, forums, ensemble, recitals, community receptions and other campus events. Sabbatical guests have borrowing privileges at the AMBS library and the opportunity to buy a short-term membership at the Mennonite Cooperative Bookstore. We also encourage sabbatical guests to purchase Lambright Center meals so that they can enjoy lunch times with other members of the AMBS community.

During the sabbatical period AMBS coordinates several specific conversations aimed at nurturing the pastor's spirit and providing for personal rejuvenation. Specifically AMBS arranges:

* spiritual direction

* conversations with professors

* conversations with off-campus mentors/local pastors

If sabbatical guests identify specific classes they wish to visit a time or two, Rafael Barahona, director of pastoral connections and leadership programs, negotiates with individual faculty regarding specific classes and appropriate dates, times and frequencies of visits. If sabbatical guests wish to take a class for audit or credit, they go through typical registration procedures through the registrar's office and the admissions office.

Sabbatical guests contribute to AMBS community life both by their presence and by bringing their recent pastoral experience to formal and informal conversations. They may be invited to speak publicly, to small groups or in various classes. Each guest has the freedom to discern which invitations, if any, he or she wishes to accept.

How to apply

To apply, please complete a Pastor Sabbatical application form and send it to:

Pastor Sabbatical Program
AMBS Church Leadership Center
3003 Benham Avenue
Elkhart IN 46517-1999

For a story of the first pastor to spend sabbatical time at AMBS, see the article "Pastor Returns to AMBS" on page 2 in the fall 2002 issue of AMBS Window .