Hi, Martha -- the only problem is, from what I heard, there is already a line-up to receive sabbaticals.  I have a friend and colleague who would love to apply, but since we were told they would go to the people who had served the longest in interim ministry up to this point (and that only a few can take sabbaticals each year), she won't be able to get one for at least a couple more years....

shalom

Well, I have a friend who knows there are no Interim Ministry Sabbatical Applications on the books YET, there are 3 paid sabbaticals per year and a long process (as in long time lines) to apply.

Why wait? 

That friend is me, actually.

In the immortal words of Douglas Adams: Don't Panic!

The Interim Ministry Sabbatical Funding application form is coming!  Although promised for December 1, there were some significant changes requested (by Conference Personnel Ministers: they're looking after you guys!) to the time lines noted in the form and it's just now being corrected for posting on the www.united-church.ca site, in the Forms area of the Administration section.

The timelines are now such that Interim ministers who have applied can, should the funding be unavailable for the current year, apply for another ministry position for the pastoral year.