What is it?

Each year a number of clergy in the Diocese are granted a period of time away from their Parishes or Chaplaincies for study and reflection. One can apply for Study Leave after about 15 years in orders (I shall have been ordained about 20 years), and a programme for the time away has to be approved by the Director of Ministry Development, the Bishop, etc.

The support of colleagues and PCC is important if study leave is to be granted, and the PCC has been very generous in supporting my application.

Why have it?

Although many people think clergy only work on Sundays, the Diocese recognises that Vicarage life is very busy (we only have one day off a week, for example), and that the opportunity to read, reflect, pray and relax while on Study Leave pays dividends in terms of the ordained person’s mental and physical well-being, as well as in their preaching, teaching and pastoral ministry in the Parish.

Why now?

There aren’t many times when a Training Incumbent can be away from the Parish - it would be unfair to be away during a new curate’s first year, for example; or (usually) during their second when, when they have just been ordained priest. Also, it was hoped that the St Alban's Project would be finished (I think in fact, that some small parts will still be being tidied up), and that has been quite a large part of my work (and certainly, of my energy) for the past 5-6 years since I have been here.

So, a change of pace, and a change of place for a period, so that I can reflect on the next stage of our journey of faith together in this Parish seemed appropriate.

What will I do?

After taking my annual retreat at Burford Priory, I shall be staying in Sheffield at the Urban Theology Unit for the first part of my time away. I will be reading, visiting urban parishes in Sheffield and thereabouts, and generally doing what happens to come my way - seeing what I can learn from other parishes in similar situations to ours.

After that, I hope to go to France for a period of quiet, prayer and reading (away from the telephone and the computer) for a few weeks.

Then I shall be keeping (Western) Holy Week and Easter in this country and (Eastern) Holy Week and Easter in Jerusalem, on a study course at St George’s College, after which I hope to spend a further week travelling around the country ‘walking in the footsteps of Jesus’.

How will the Parish cope?

Admirably! My colleagues have been very supportive, and Sunday and weekday services will be covered. The Office will deal with the administrative work, and other tasks will be shared out, or will just not happen. You’ll hardly notice that I’ve gone!!

In fact, I hope you will enjoy the change!

In preparation for the end of the St Alban's Project, and my Study Leave, the PCC has started looking at a paper called ‘Vision into Action - the years ahead’, which is trying to pull together all the different strands of our thinking, praying and reflection in recent years, and I hope that that will be discussed and shared with the wider parish while I am away.

I have been preparing for this for the past year or so, and will try to leave everything as organised as possible, but there will be the inevitable hitches as some things are forgotten - but all my excellent colleagues - clergy, wardens, readers, lay people, etc. - are all very capable of working them out.

If you have any thoughts or comments, please be in touch.