2011 Leader Sabbatical

This is the working draft of my sabbatical, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in December 2009. I’m posting this for the general information of members and friends of the Society. It will be updated as more solid plans are made. Feel free to ask questions or make comments.

Sabbatical Planning Advisory Group: Kate Lovelady (Leader), Jane Langa (past Board President), Matthew Hile (Personnel Committee), Paul Goodfellow (Leader Advisory Committee)

Background:

The Leader of the Ethical Society of St. Louis is eligible for a sabbatical of up to 6 months after five years of service (December 2010).

The Board of Trustees has asked that sabbatical work address in part the Leader’s 2009 Long-Range Plan responsibilities.

Timing of sabbatical:

The sabbatical will be taken February through June 2011 (5 months) plus August 2011 (1 month), with July 2011 as vacation; the Leader will be absent from the Society February-August 2011.

The Leader will be present for the 2010 fall season, the Thanksgiving and winter festivals, and the kick-off of the pledge campaign. The Leader will return for the 2011 fall season.

During the February-June sabbatical months, the Leader will be mostly incommunicado with the Ethical Society. The Leader will attend the American Ethical Union National Leaders Council (NLC) work retreats in February and June 2011.
The month of August 2011, the last month of the sabbatical, will be transitional: the Leader will be out-of-office but preparing to incorporate completed sabbatical work into Society (e.g., back in touch with staff and committees by email).

Sabbatical goals:

Work on Long-Range Plan, e.g.:
> Institutionalize orientation for prospective and new members (research other orientation programs, create follow-up programs for current orientation workshop)
> Research, create, or refine pastoral programs to address “hurts and hopes of humanists”
> Research, create, or refine programs for Leader to have greater participation in Sunday School and Youth programs
> Write contemporary materials on Ethical Humanism—pamphlets, booklets.
> Leader has agreed to collect and edit new NLC collection of platforms on “What is Ethical Culture?”—this likely will be part of sabbatical work

Continue Education, e.g.:
> Visit ESs, UU churches, humanistic Buddhist groups, Humanist chaplaincies, other liberal religious and community groups to collect best practices; opportunities to learn about humanism in Europe are being sought.
> Get further training in conflict management, mediation, or nonprofit management, depending on location, timing, and cost.

Renew Energy and Ability to Be “Non-Anxious Presence,” e.g.:
> Attend meditation and/or ministers’ retreat

Coverage of leadership duties during sabbatical:

Platforms: five or six additional platform addresses will be needed, covered by combination of outside speakers paid by usual funds and member addresses. The Platform Speakers Committee will need to plan further ahead than usual, beginning in fall of 2010.

Wedding, memorials and baby-namings: covered by existing officiants, with additional help as needed by appropriate area Ethical Society Leaders, Ethical Humanist Chaplains, and liberal clergy.

Pastoral counseling: depending on need, covered by combination of Committee of Concern volunteers and referrals to professional counselors and chaplains.

Blogging: member volunteers, with occasional blogging updates by Leader(?).

Program staff coordination: details to be decided.