Two Diocese of the South Priests Receive Lilly Clergy Renewal Grants

Grants will support sabbaticals, family time, pilgrimage, and congregational renewal.

Archpriest Marcus Burch and Archpriest Theophan Buck of the Diocese of the South, Orthodox Church in America, have received grants through the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs to support planned sabbaticals and accompanying renewal activities in their parishes.

Fr. Marcus serves as Chancellor of the Diocese of the South and Rector of St. John of the Ladder Orthodox Church in Greenville, South Carolina. Fr. Theophan serves as Dean of the Southeastern Deanery and Rector of St. Innocent Orthodox Church in Macon, Georgia.

The Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs at Christian Theological Seminary help strengthen Christian congregations by supporting opportunities for their pastors to step away from the daily responsibilities of parish life for intentional renewal and reflection.

For Fr. Marcus, the grant will support a sabbatical planned in several periods throughout 2027. His plans combine pilgrimage, prayer, study, outdoor recreation, and time with his wife, Matushka Barbara, and their family. Destinations include Sinai and the Holy Land, the Appalachian Mountains, and…