Note from the Senior Warden
March 25, 2024
Dear Parish Family,
I hope my letter finds you well and that you are having a reflective and meaningful Holy Lent. I’m writing to you as I’m sure, by now, you have heard this is Jack Alvey’s sabbatical year. Jack and his family will completely disengage from Ascension across the coming 2024 summer, June 3 through September 3. Sabbatical leave provides clergy with a time for reflection and renewal. It allows for reconnection with their family, their faith, and themselves while stepping away from the daily responsibilities of pastoral and parish life. It is a much needed part of clergy nurturing by a parish. Vestries have come to learn that sabbatical leave is both a necessary and desirable element for clergy’s personal growth and holistic recharging, and include provision for sabbatical leave in a newly called Rector’s compensation following a search process. Jack’s compensation package includes provision for sabbatical leave after five year’s residency as our Rector.
Jack and I have talked for many months about what his sabbatical leave will encompass – the things he would like to accomplish while on leave. In addition to a preaching conference and time spent locally, he has in mind several trips with his family that will provide renewal for himself and Jamie, and also provide family memories for their children.
We’ve also talked about budget and the costs he expects to incur while on sabbatical leave. My estimate of his total sabbatical expense is roughly $15,000. Unfortunately, a down-turned housing market at the time of his call to Ascension and critical Ascension maintenance costs over the past five years have left little opportunity for savings or the establishment of a sabbatical fund by either Jack or our parish.
This brings me to the principal focus of my letter. Several parishioners have mentioned to me they would like to help Jack defray the costs of his sabbatical leave so I’ll simply offer this opportunity to all in our parish family. If you would like to contribute any amount to Jack’s sabbatical fund, please do so by sending a check to the church or by making a contribution online, and make the contribution payable to the church. Please be sure to include on the memo line “Sabbatical Leave Fund” so the contribution can be correctly assigned. Any excess unused funds that accrue through this effort will later be transferred to the Clergy Continuing Education budget account once Jack’s expenses have been reconciled following his return from sabbatical leave. Since we are now at a point in the planning stage of his sabbatical where reservations must be made and where it is more economical to procure airline tickets, we basically need to know what funding is available to use for his leave. I will ask that any contributions be sent to the church no later than Sunday, April 7.
Should you have questions or comments regarding any of this, please do not hesitate to contact me: jybusbin@charter.net or 205-482-3557 (cell). Thank you in advance for giving this your prayerful consideration.
Faithfully,
Jim Busbin
Senior Warden,
Episcopal Church of the Ascension
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