Local Church Gets Grant

A Toccoa church receives a grant to assist in a sabbatical for its pastor.

St. Matthias Episcopal Church has received a grant of $45,600 to enable its minister, the Very Rev. Mary R.H. Demmler, to participate in the 2015 National Clergy Renewal Program.

The Lilly Endowment, Inc. funds the grant and it is administered by the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.

Only 144 congregations received the grant.

The Very Rev. Demmler said the grants allow Christian congregations to support pastors and churches for sabbaticals that can help with reflection and renewal away from the demands of daily ministry.

“The latest statistic is that most clergy burn out within five years,” said the Very Rev. Demmler. “That last number I heard was 90 percent.”

The grant received by St. Matthias will help pay for guest preachers and clergy to serve at the church, as well as send-off and return celebrations.

Meanwhile, the bulk of the grant will provide for the Very Rev. Demmler and her family with a four-month sabbatical leave from the church.

The Very Rev. Demmler said part of the time is meant for rest and to spend with family, while other time is to be used for professional development, as well as work on a special project.

She said she and her husband, Derek, will work on a project that involves cooking with people of different faith traditions to focus on how is cooking a form of spiritual practice.

The Very Rev. Demmler said they are excited and blessed to have this opportunity.

She explained that this grant is also helpful since the Episcopal Church requires clergy who have been at one location six years to take a sabbatical.

However, she did note the grant program is open to all denominations.