Ecclesiastical Insurance has opened its popular Ministry Bursary Awards (MBAs) to applications for 2020 clergy sabbaticals.

The MBAs, which have been running for more than 30 years, are open to all members of the clergy from Anglican Christian faiths and provide financial support for sabbatical breaks and projects.

Since launch, the MBAs have supported more than a thousand members of the clergy, funding a wide range of projects. In 2018, 70 applicants received a grant of between £200 and £1,500 to help fund their 2019 sabbatical breaks.

Michael Angell, church operations director at Ecclesiastical said: “At Ecclesiastical we see the contribution our clergy make to our communities and it is invaluable. However, it can also come with a huge amount of personal responsibility. The fundamental purpose of a sabbatical is to have time for soulful rest and refreshment for the applicant that is purposeful and balanced.  It is wonderful that our scheme can help support this.”

Over the years, Ecclesiastical has seen a diverse range of projects from ministerial development, pilgrimages to the pursuit of lifelong dreams. The 2019 awards are supporting a number of interesting sabbatical projects, including pilgrimages to the Holy Land, academic studies and trips to other dioceses to share learnings, as well as opportunities to work on personal projects such as art, poetry and book writing.

“We have always tried to support sabbatical projects that provide personal development opportunities for members of the clergy as well as those that are of benefit to the wider church and community. It is exciting to see how the projects we fund have diversified over the years as the development needs and interests of our clergy continue to change and adapt to modern times.” Michael added.

Ecclesiastical’s Ministry Bursary Awards are now open for applications, for those wishing to take a sabbatical during 2020. The closing date is 30 September 2019.

For more information including eligibility criteria and to download an application form please visit www.ecclesiastical.com/mba