Central/Southern Illinois Synod
MENUMENU
  • About
    • Synod Staff
    • Synod Council
    • Synod Map by Conference
  • Communications
    • Events
    • Synod Assembly
  • Contact Us
Find A Congregation
Donate
MENUMENU
  • Congregations
        • Administration Resources
          • Constitutions
            • Synod Constitution (2018)
            • 2022 Model Constitution Congregations (PDF)
            • 2022 Model Constitution Congregations (Word)
            • 2022 Amendments to the Model Constitution for Congregations
            • ELCA Guide for Use Model Constitutions Congregations
            • ELCA Intro Model Constitution Congregations
            • How to Update Congregational Constitutions
          • Employment
            • Information on Hiring Employees
            • Preventing Sexual Misconduct in Congregations
            • Writing a Job Description
          • Insurance
            • Church Property Loss
            • Disaster Preparation
          • Records Management
            • Archiving in Congregations
            • Records Retention
            • Disposition of Records
            • Maintaining Parish Register
          • Risk Management Information
            • Security Procedures
        • Call Process & Interim Ministry
        • Calling Forth New Ministers
        • Compensation Guidelines
          • 2023 Compensation Guidelines
          • 2022 Compensation Guidelines
        • Faithful INNOVATION
        • Food for the Journey
        • Growing Younger
        • Guide For Holy Closure
        • Invite the Bishop
        • Mission Support
        • Occasional Services
          • Liturgy at the Departure of a Pastor
          • Disposal of Deteriorating Bibles
        • Portico Benefit Services
        • Pulpit Supply
        • Sister Congregations
        • Social Ministry, Justice, And Advocacy Grants
          • SMJA Grant Proposal
          • SMJA Grant Letter
        • Stewardship
        • Video Sermons
  • Faith Formation
        • Adult Faith Formation
        • Children and Youth
          • Leadership Lab
          • ELCA Youth Ministry Network
          • Ministry Links Online
          • Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
        • Dwelling in the Word
        • ELCA Colleges
        • Synod Campus Ministries
        • The Generosity Project
  • Pastors & Deacons
        • Am I Called?
        • Annual Reports
          • Request for Annual Reports
          • Word and Sacrament
          • Word and Service
          • Synod-Authorized Ministry
        • Fall Theological Conference
        • Interim Ministers
          • Interim Minister's Quarterly Report
          • Interim Ministry Gathering Presentation
        • Resources for Pastors and Deacons
          • Boundaries Workshop Resources
          • Compensation Guidelines
            • 2023 Compensation Guidelines
            • 2022 Compensation Guidelines
          • Clergy Housing Allowance
          • Wellness & Renewal Grants
  • Synod Ministries
        • C/SIS Mission Support
        • C/SIS Women of the ELCA
        • Lutheran Men in Mission
        • Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
        • Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
        • Women of the ELCA
  • Racial Justice
  • Bishop’s Reflections
Wellness & Renewal Grants

Wellness & Renewal Grants

The Central/Southern Illinois Synod encourages ministers to live whole and healthy lives. To this end, the synod offers a variety of grants for renewal and wellness. Applications for these grants will be received beginning June 6, 2022.

Who is eligible? Please check your eligibility status below to find out more about the grants available to you. Eligibility is also dependent upon these two reports on file in the synod office: Congregational Statistical Reports (Form A and C) and a minister’s Annual Report to the Bishop. Grants may be combined.

  • ■ Pastors and deacons serving under call or appointment
  • ▲ Pastors and deacons on leave from call
  • ● Synod-authorized ministers currently serving under consecutive authorization agreements for more than twelve months
  • ◆ Paid, non-rostered staff members who serve in a congregation or in the synod office within the C/SIS and who have Portico/ELCA health insurance

Available Grants

Clergy Renewal (Sabbatical) Leave (■): This grant has two components: up to $1,000 to the person as support for the person’s clergy renewal or sabbatical activities and up to $1,000 to the congregation or synodical office to assist with providing for ministry during the person on leave’s absence.

Stewarding Our Health (■▲●◆): Allow up to $200 (reimbursement) for activities related to any aspect of the Wholeness Wheel.

Renewal Retreat for Ministers (■●): Offers up to $500 (reimbursement) for ministers to renew themselves and their ministry in a retreat environment.

Grant funds are limited. Applications will be considered in the order in which they are submitted. These grants are made possible through Portico’s past practice of providing wellness dollars to synods.

Clergy Renewal (Sabbatical) Leave

Clergy Renewal (Sabbatical) Leave seeks to strengthen Christian congregations by providing opportunities for pastors to step away briefly from the persistent obligations of daily parish life and to engage in a period of renewal and reflection. Renewal periods are not vacations but times for intentional exploration and reflection, for regaining enthusiasm and creativity for ministry, for discovering what will enliven in grace and joy continued ministry through and with the congregation. For more information, please read the resource guide for congregations and rostered ministers preparing for a renewal leave.

The Central/Southern Illinois Synod gives financial support grants for Clergy Renewal (Sabbatical) Leaves: up to $1,000 to support leave activities of the pastor and up to $1,000 to assist the congregation with costs for pastoral ministry during the pastor’s leave for each Clergy Renewal (Sabbatical) Leave.

Stewarding Our Health
Spiritual wellness and wholeness wheel Portico Benefit Services’ wholeness wheel emblems are trademarks of Portico Benefit Services (U.S. Patent and Trademark SN 86/252,356, 86/257,977). Certificate of registration numbers: 4,637,260; 4,637,258; 4,637,259; 4,636,828; 4,677,811.

Portico’s Wholeness Wheel can help guide us to healthier living. “Stewarding Our Health Grants” provide support as you take steps toward greater well-being. You may apply for funding in more than one area for a maximum grant request of $200.

Wholeness Wheel and Grant Categories

Portico's “Wholeness Wheel” illustrates that wellness is multi-dimensional: made up of spiritual, vocational, intellectual, emotional, physical, social, and financial dimensions of well-being. Spiritual well-being accompanies our well-being in all other dimensions. Please visit Portico Benefit Services to learn more about the Wholeness Wheel.

At the center of the wheel, we are a new creation through the waters of baptism. Christ lives in us and through us and calls us to love and serve one another. What does it mean to be a new creation? We receive the gift of grace through Christ, who came that we might have abundant life. Abundant life lives as a new creation, being grounded and centered in Christ and loving our neighbor as ourselves. It is when we are living well in Christ that we are best equipped to pass on our faith.

Grant Categories

Spiritual Well-Being: Living a centered life focused on God affects each aspect of our well-being. Turn to God for strength as you seek to live well in Christ. Nurture your relationship with God through prayer, devotions, worship, nature, art, and music. Explore who you are and know whose you are. You may be approved for the grant in advance of the event of activity, but you must submit a receipt for reimbursement.

Social/Interpersonal Well-Being: We are created by God to be social beings, living in community and instructed to help and love each other. We maintain social well-being through interaction, play and forgiveness. Take time to nurture your relationships with family, friends, congregation and co-workers. Example: couple or family participation in a Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center activity.

Emotional Well-Being: Being emotionally well means feeling the full range of human emotions and expressing them appropriately. Self-awareness is the first step. Recognizing and honoring our own feelings and those of others—stress, contentment, anger, love, sadness, joy, resentment—will help you live life abundantly. Example: fees and expenses associated with approved programs designed to promote healthy emotional processing in personal lives and congregational systems.

Physical Well-Being: While we are not all born perfectly healthy or able to live life without injury or illness, we can live well by tending and nurturing our body as a gift from God. Feed it healthy foods, keep it hydrated, build physical endurance through regular exercise, and  respect your body’s need for rest. Examples: join a gym or fitness group and engage in 30 minutes of physical activity for a minimum of eight weeks; receive healthy diet tutoring.

Financial Well-Being: Being financially well involves making decisions based on our values, as reflected in the way we save, spend, and share. Tending to one’s financial well-being in this way requires us to be resilient, generous, and focused on sustainability. Examples: create or update a will; receive budget tutoring; Portico retirement seminar.

Vocational Well-Being: We all have a calling—a vocation—to follow Christ’s example by living a life of meaning, purpose and service to our neighbor. Our vocations make up our life’s work and passions—they are the everyday roles through which God calls us to help make this world a better place. Those who are well vocationally are faithful stewards of their talents and abilities and find opportunities to build and use them. Example: books or seminars serving vocational development or vocational discernment resources.

Intellectual Well-Being: Using our minds keeps us alert and active. Stay curious, ask questions, and seek answers. Explore new responsibilities, experience new things and keep an open mind. And remember, knowing when and how to let your mind rest is as important as keeping active. Example: fees and expenses associated with continuing education events. You may be approved for the grant in advance of the event or activity, but you must submit a receipt for reimbursement.

Renewal Retreat for Ministers

Making time and space for intentional sabbath and resetting the direction of your life and ministry from time to time is important. The C/SIS has money dedicated to the well-being of ministers and offers grants up to $500 (reimbursed) for you to spend time away from your regular ministry context for renewal.

To apply for this grant, plan your renewal retreat and then submit your application prior to your retreat. Consider where you will go and when, what you intend to do on your retreat, and anticipated expenses. Reimbursement funds may cover transportation, lodging, food, up to two books you intend to read on retreat, the cost of up to two sessions with an ELCA coach or a spiritual director (at least one of the two sessions must be while on retreat), or other expenses particular to your plan.

Following your retreat, submit your expenses for reimbursement. Please note that you must apply for the grant before your retreat.

Grant Application
Central/Southern Illinois Synod
Quick Links
  • About
  • For Congregations
  • Communications
  • Contact Us
  • Pastors And Deacons
  • Newsletter
  • Synod Ministries
Contact Us
  • (217) 753-7915
  • 524 South Fifth Street Springfield, IL 62701
  • synodoffice@csis-elca.org
© Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy |
Web Design 309