A.2

Provide a clearly articulated rationale for engaging in the clergy renewal program. Include a discussion about why this is an appropriate time for the pastor and congregation to participate.

Pastor Lance Williamson came to Evergreen in June of 1996. The church had been through a difficult few years. After the beloved organizing pastor's retirement in 1991, there was an endearing interim pastor, a called pastor who left after fourteen months, and then another interim, a wonderfully supportive retired pastor who still worships at Evergreen.

Enter Lance Williamson, a young pastor with a young family. It was a time of hope for the congregation. Lance's arrival began a period of stability and spiritual growth for Evergreen. Under his leadership, worship has continued to be central to the life of the church, strong relationships have formed and new programs and worship services have been added. Pastor Lance has worked tirelessly for the church, as preacher, musician, moderator of Session, comforter of the sick, teacher of classes and in all of the other roles of pastors in a small church. His devotion to the congregation and its members has never faltered.

While Pastor Lance's time at Evergreen has been positive, the congregation has increasingly been content to let him shoulder much of the work of the congregation. We have become more and more pastor-centered. Although the congregation has grown in faith and dedication to the Word, the program work of the congregation has been done by a relatively small number of persons. In this atmosphere Pastor Lance has had difficulty delegating responsibilities. As part of the sabbatical, Pastor Lance will examine his own management style to see how he can empower others to participate in ministry. The opportunity to visit other churches, talk to other pastors, and observe other congregations will be a major benefit of the time apart.

In 2005, Evergreen participated in the "40 Days of Purpose." It was a time of significant spiritual revival for our church. The session adopted the "Purpose Driven Presbyterians" model for the church. Session committees were organized around the five purposes: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and mission/evangelism. The leadership training in preparation for the sabbatical will help congregational leaders rekindle a vision of what it means to carry out these purposes.

The time is ripe to redefine roles and redistribute the workload at Evergreen. A time of sabbatical will let the congregation put into practice leadership principles and make the purposes more personal and vital, apart from the pastor. The sabbatical will give Pastor Lance a much-needed time of rest, time to pursue his "heart sing" activities, and time to explore how to continue the Purpose Driven work at Evergreen in a deeper way.