Desert Notes November 6, 2025

Rev. Sarah will be on a short sabbatical from January through mid-March. Her contract allows her to accrue one month of sabbatical per one year of service and to take these after three years of service.  We have been working behind the scenes to prepare for this, planning guest speakers and worship leaders both from within VUU and from outside the congregation. She is also making arrangements for pastoral care, staff supervision/support, and other needs while she is gone. 

The UUA allows ministers to use this time however they want/need to, and many use it to rest, reflect, travel, or learn in ways that are less accessible during a normal work/vacation time.  She plans to travel to see her daughter in Costa Rica, who is serving in the Peace Corps, and to identify some retreat opportunities. She has been serving as a minister for nearly 12 years, but this is her first-ever sabbatical. Sabbatical is also an opportunity for congregations to engage some learning of their own—to hear from a range of other voices in the pulpit, to re-evaluate lay leader roles and build capacity for shared ministry. Updates will be posted in Happenings over the next two months.