Pastoral Wellbeing Initiatives: Cohorts and Sabbatical Matching Grant Applications Open
Lawrenceville, GA – August 15, 2026 – Geneva Benefits Group, the leading provider of retirement and benefits for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), is pleased to announce that applications for its Pastoral Sabbatical Matching and Pastoral Cohort Programs will open August 15. The Pastoral Sabbatical Matching Program helps make extended seasons of rest more accessible and financially feasible for PCA churches and teaching elders, while Pastoral Wellbeing Cohorts provide pastors with a community for connection, renewal, and shared learning. Together, these initiatives reflect Geneva’s commitment to its mission of walking with pastors through every season of ministry and its values of caring for the whole person and strengthening the health of the church.
Geneva has experienced substantial growth over the past five years, adding multiple denominations to its retirement plan and scaling operations to meet the needs of church employers. This leadership realignment is the next step in fulfilling the organization’s mission to provide tailored solutions and peace of mind for pastors and ministry staff.
The following individuals have taken on new or expanded responsibilities critical to Geneva’s future success:
Since 2022, Geneva has awarded 47 matching sabbatical grants to under-resourced churches. By providing matching funds to help alleviate the financial burden often associated with sabbaticals, the program enables congregations to invest in the long-term wellbeing of their pastors, benefiting not only pastors and their families but the entire church community. Qualifying churches and pastors can apply for matching grants of up to $5,000.
Geneva Benefits Group believes that sabbaticals can make a meaningful, positive difference in the holistic health of pastors and their families. Jon Medlock, Geneva’s VP of Strategic Research and Culture shares, “We believe healthy rhythms of work and rest are crucial for long-term wellbeing in ministry, and access to routine sabbaticals from the unique demands of pastoral work can allow pastors to refresh and recharge for the next season of ministry. Geneva’s sabbatical matching grants enable us to help small, solo-pastor churches offset the expense of providing this important benefit to their pastor.”
In 2025, Geneva Benefits Group launched Pastoral Wellbeing Cohorts, a two-year initiative designed to foster connection, renewal, and shared learning among fellow ministers. Pastors meet monthly on Zoom and twice a year for an in-person retreat, all led by a trained facilitator. Through these relationships, pastors develop supportive communities, cultivate rhythms of rest and renewal, and navigate the challenges of ministry together. These connections are vital for long-term ministry health and resilience.
“A pastor needs to be pastored so that he is a healthy, growing, vibrant follower of Jesus. And the burden of loving the Lord’s sheep can weigh heavily on a pastor, so they need rest and renewal,” shared Paul Joiner, Associate Vice President of Wellbeing. “Our pastoral wellbeing cohorts are a way for us to do this in the loving context of healthy, pastoral community. We long for the Spirit of God to create a band of brothers so that pastors are never alone and never lonely ever again.”
As part of Geneva’s commitment to holistic pastoral wellbeing, pastors participating in a Geneva Pastoral Wellbeing Cohort are also eligible to apply for a $6,000 sabbatical matching grant. Connecting these initiatives gives pastors both the opportunity for intentional rest and a community to support them before, during, and after a sabbatical.
Applications for the next class of Pastoral Wellbeing Cohorts, beginning in January 2027, will be open from August 15 through October 15, 2026.
For questions about either of these wellbeing initiatives, please email wellbeing@genevabenefits.org.
How to Apply
Sabbaticals:
PCA churches or pastors interested in the Pastoral Sabbatical Matching Program can download the application packet and submit a completed application by October 15, 2026. To explore Geneva’s other resources on pastoral sabbaticals, visit genevabenefits.org/sabbaticals.
Cohorts:
PCA churches or pastors interested in participating in a Pastoral Wellbeing Cohort can download the Elder and Session Explainers and use the application link to complete an application by October 15, 2026.
Geneva Benefits Group serves those who serve others, providing practical support for the financial, physical, and mental wellbeing of people who work in full-time ministry.
