Dear Church,
As announced on November 30th, I will be taking a sabbatical starting on January 1st, 2026. I wanted to explain the reason I asked for a sabbatical and share how you can pray for me during this time.
I’ve been in full-time vocational ministry since 2001. During the last 24 years, I’ve had a few “ministry hiatus” seasons, but never a properly focused sabbatical dedicated to rest and re-creation. The last 10 years have been very full: co-leading The Table and Gravity Commons, punctuated by a number of significant challenges and changes along the way.
It was sometime last winter that Fr. Ben and I talked about how each of us needs to begin thinking about taking a sabbatical soon. Then, over the summer, I shared with Fr. Ben that I was feeling the need for a sabbatical sooner rather than later as my capacity and passion were both lower than I want them to be. Fr. Ben asked me if I was burnt out, and I responded with “I don’t know, I’ve never been burnt out before!” But during the last few months, as I’ve reflected on that question, I do think that there is a level of burnout and fatigue I’ve been experiencing recently.
So in light of those conversations with Fr. Ben, I submitted a request last month to the Vestry for a three-month sabbatical, and they wholeheartedly approved it. The plan includes semi-regular check-ins with the Vestry about how it’s going, as well as communication with Fr. Ben at regular intervals (not about ministry!).
Here’s what I have in mind for the next three months, and some ways I would covet your prayers:
- Therapy to deal with some trauma. I’ve been aware that my body is storing pain, and I haven’t been able to process or deal with it sufficiently. I’m hopeful that my extended reprieve from pastoral duties will allow me the space and attention I need to address it.
- Silence and solitude. I plan to take two trips, 4-5 days each, to a retreat center or monastery to completely unplug and be still, and dedicate myself to fasting and prayer.
- Explore new daily and weekly rhythms for my mental and physical health. Many of you know that I have been struggling with insomnia for quite some time. I hope that this extended break will give me time to develop new rhythms that help me get better sleep.
- Spend some time away with good college friends the weekend of Jan 10-11.
- Sharon and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in August, and have planned a getaway trip to celebrate the last week of January.
I’m sure other ideas and opportunities will present themselves to me as I embark on this sabbatical, but that’s my plan for right now. As you are able, I’d appreciate your prayers for me that I would be able to realize the benefits from this time away; both those stated above and those benefits the Lord wishes for me to receive that I’m unaware of.
My last in-person gathering at The Table will be our Christmas Eve service on December 24th at 4pm. I then leave for our family vacation on December 27th and will enter my sabbatical when I return.
If you would like to connect with me before then, as always, you are free to do that. If you have questions about staffing coverage in my absence, please reach out to Fr. Ben using our contact form.
With deep gratitude and hope, your priest for Christ’s sake,
Fr. Matt Tebbe
