목회자 안식 프로그램(재정후원) 정보 공유합니다

몇년 전에 반기열 목사님께서 목회자 안식 프로그램에 선발되어 의미있는 안식을 하셨다고 하시면서 정보를 나누어 주신적이 있습니다. 이번에 저도 안식을 계획하면서 이 프로그램에 지원을 하게 되었습니다. 하나님의 은혜로 선발이 되어 제가 계획한 4개월(2018년) 안식을 위해 $46,380을 지원받게 되었습니다. 매년 140여 목회자가 선발되어 이 혜택을 받고 있습니다. 여러 목사님들께서도 한 번 지원해 보시면 좋겠다는 생각이 들어 조심스럽게 정보를 공유해 드립니다. 도움이 되시면 좋겠습니다. 참고로 영어로 받은 안내 편지를 아래에 붙여 놓습니다. (http://www.cpx.cts.edu/renewal/apply/national-program)

RECIPIENT OF GRANTS IN THE 2017 NATIONAL CLERGY RENEWAL PROGRAM

Contact:           Kyung D. Kim                                                             

                        214-316-3074                           

                        Kdkim99@gmail.com

            Flower Mound Korean Church (Former First Korean Baptist Church of Lewisville) has received a grant of  $46,380 to enable its minister, Rev. Kyung D. Kim, to participate in the 2017 National Clergy Renewal Program. Flower Mound Korean Church is one of 146 congregations across the United States selected to participate in this competitive grant program, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and administered by Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Established by the Endowment in 2000, the program’s grants allow Christian congregations to support their pastors with the gift of extended time away from their ministerial duties and responsibilities.

            Ministers whose congregations are awarded the grants use their time away from the demands of daily ministry to engage in reflection and renewal. The approach respects the “Sabbath time” concept, offering ministers a carefully considered respite that may include travel, study, rest, immersive arts and cultural experiences, and prayer.

Through the National Clergy Renewal Program, congregations apply for grants of up to $50,000 to support renewal programs for their pastors. Collaborative in nature and implementation, the program allows congregations to partner with their ministers in developing experiences that addresses their unique renewal needs and aspirations. Recognizing that ministers’ families are subject to the stress and demands placed on pastoral leaders, the program encourages pastors to involve their families in renewal activities. Congregational needs during the minister’s renewal experience also are considered. Up to $15,000 of the grant may be used to support interim pastoral leadership during the pastor’s retreat, as well as renewal activities within the congregation. Since the National Clergy Renewal Program’s inception, more than 2,450 congregations have participated in the program, including the 146 congregations receiving grants in 2017.

             “Lilly Endowment recognizes the important role that pastors play in shaping and guiding the work of Christian churches,” said Dr. Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion.  “We can think of no better way to honor these hardworking, faithful men and women than to help them step away from the demands of leadership for a brief period of rest and spiritual renewal.  We regularly hear that these renewal experiences are transformative for pastors, their families and their congregations.”

The Rev. Rev. Robert Saler, research fellow and director of the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs, noted that the National Clergy Renewal Program integrates key attributes of healthy congregations, including a mutual respect for the renewal needs of both ministers and the congregations they serve.

“The program provides an opportunity for congregations to express appreciation for their ministers’ service and leadership,” Saler said. “At a time when leaders are often praised for their pace of innovation and productivity, the National Clergy Renewal Program pays homage to the timeless wisdom embedded in the practice of reflection and renewal.”

Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis directs the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program for Indiana Congregations and a second program for congregations across the United States through its Center for Pastoral Excellence.