Here is the formal proposal:
Levering’s Sabbatical
From FRC Personnel Policies
After every five years of employment, ministers may present a plan for extended study of two to four months to the consistory for approval. During this time, salary and benefits are continued. This leave replaces any other study leave for the year it is used.From the Classis of Schenectady
The Classis has no policy regarding study leave or sabbatical.From the General Synod of the RCA (1987)
To be successful, renewal and revitalization require congregation-wide initiatives led by consistories and other leadership groups within the church. But renewal rarely begins that way; renewal of a congregation most often blossoms from the renewal of a single person--the pastor. And many times, that personal renewal is fostered by a sabbatical.What is a sabbatical? A sabbatical is a time to focus in-depth on things that are important to a person's work and life with the church. Sabbaticals for pastors are highly recommended in order to renew the calling and creativity of our spiritual leaders. Such sabbaticals should include intentional times for reflection, rekindling the spirit, and deepening spiritual life and family relationships.
Why should we give our pastor a sabbatical? A congregation should arrange for a pastor's sabbatical because it's biblical, and because both the pastor and the church need it. The sabbatical year practiced by the Hebrew people was the final year in a cycle of seven years (Leviticus 25:3-4). It was also a time when the Hebrew people had the opportunity to renew their trust in God as the provider of all of their needs, even during the time when they did not labor.
After a pastor has served a congregation for five years or more, they have a tendency to take God and one another for granted, often falling into frustrating patterns rather than finding a faithful and creative future. A sabbatical for the pastor can provide time to focus on reading, writing, preaching, and prayer, and forces members to exercise their ministries for the good of one another and the gospel.
How does the congregation benefit? In a video presentation entitled Why You Should Give Your Pastor a Sabbatical, Roy Oswald says, "Granting a sabbatical leave to a pastor becomes a great way for congregants to once again claim certain roles within a congregation that correspond with the gifts they have been given by God."
How to we start planning for a sabbatical? Sabbatical planning should include the church as well as the pastor. Some churches have found that forming a sabbatical committee is a good way to work together. The following suggestions for sabbatical planning are endorsed by the Reformed Church in America:
- Each installed pastor is encouraged to negotiate an appropriate sabbatical leave with the consistory every five years.
- The length of the sabbatical leave may vary. A length of two to four months ought to be given serious consideration by both parties.
- During a sabbatical, salary and benefits shall continue to be paid as during normal service.
- Unusual expenses incurred during a sabbatical leave (cost of tuition, travel, etc.) are the responsibility of the minister, who may choose to use funds set aside for continuing education if the consistory agrees that this is appropriate.
- Provision for sabbatical leaves shall be included in the consistory's call to the minister. Appropriate provision in the annual budget shall be made to ensure that when a plan for a sabbatical is agreed upon, the funds for adjunct pastoral assistance (as needed) are available.
--Adapted from Minutes of General Synod 1987, pp. 203-204
From the PC(USA)
Definitions
Sabbatical Leave for pastors and church educators is a planned time of intensive enhancement for ministry and mission. Sabbatical Leave follows precedents in the academic community and among a growing number of private sector groups. This “extended time” is qualitatively different from “vacation’ or “days off.” It is an opportunity for the individual to strategically disengage from regular and normal tasks so that ministry and mission may be viewed from a new perspective because of a planned time of focus.Sabbatical Leave is an extension of the Biblical concept of a Sabbath day and a Sabbath year for renewal. It is both an act of faith that God will sustain us through a period of reflection and changed activity and an occasion for recovery and renewal of vital energies.
Sabbatical Leave is recommended for all full-time pastors and educators serving churches, who have served in their present position for six (6) continuous years. The recommended length of the Sabbatical Leave is three (3) months. Accrued vacation time and study leave may be attached to the Sabbatical Leave. It is further recommended that this Sabbatical Leave be built into the Call Process. Upon completion of the Sabbatical Leave, the incumbent pastor/educator would normally continue serving the same congregation for a period of at least four times the length of the Sabbatical Leave plus accrued vacation time. In addition, Congregations may limit Sabbatical Leave to one staff person per year, in multiple staff situations.
Planning for Sabbath Leave
To be eligible for a Sabbatical Leave, the pastor/educator shall present, in writing, to the Church session for their approval, a program (“The Plan”) of activity for the Sabbatical Leave at least six (6) months prior to the proposed beginning of the Sabbatical Leave. This program of activity and meditation shall include a detailed description of the plan, the goals to be achieved and the expected end-product(s), together with a personal statement as to why this Sabbatical Leave would be valuable for both the pastor/educator and the church.Upon approval by the Session in the year prior to the Sabbatical Leave, the Plan shall be forwarded to the churches Committee on Ministry for their review and recommendation. Included in this Plan will be the church’s plan for pastoral/educator services during the period of the Sabbatical Leave.
At the completion of the Sabbatical Leave, the pastor/educator should present to the next regular meeting of the church Session, a written report of activities and findings. This report also will be sent to the Committee on Ministry immediately following up the Session meeting when it is presented.
Funding
The employing church will continue the pastor/educator salaries, pension/major’ medical benefits, book allowance, and, at the direction of the Session, auto and continuing education allowances at the same level as those in effect at the time of the Sabbatical Leave.
The employing church will also contract for substitute pastor/educator services during the period of the Sabbatical Leave. Although on the face of it, the Sabbatical Leave may seem like yet another financial burden for the local congregation to bear, it is crucial for Session and congregation to recognize the long-term benefits they as a church will reap from granting Sabbaticals. For example, ministers/educators who have the opportunity to examine issues of professional growth and development as ministers within an existing pastorate are more likely to stay more years in a particular call. The sabbatical provision conveys a sense of support and caring on the part of the calling church. It also offers an incentive to both ministers and educators to commit to and think in terms of longer years of service in a particular church.
Clergy, churches, and presbytery are encouraged to set aside funds each year so that resources will be available during the time of Sabbatical Leave. Those churches that would have financial problems in providing for the Sabbatical Leave could consult with their Presbytery. In addition, those churches that could not secure lay leadership within their own congregations might consider using elders trained as Lay Pastors or Associate Pastors who might be willing to preach one Sunday without honorarium, etc.
Re-entry
Upon re-entry, it is strongly suggested that the clergy share with the entire congregation the details of the leave as well as reflections on its value and benefit. The re-entry process provides a great opportunity to reflect upon the benefits that resulted from the Sabbath Leave. Such expected benefits as:- Discovering the strength of lay leadership heretofore under-utilized
- New understandings of the concepts of mission between clergy and congregation
- Reaffirmation of calling to ministry on part of clergy and congregation with both being reinvigorated and rededicated to the work of God’s people.
- The ideal result would be for the congregation to see this period of time not just as the clergy’s Sabbath Leave but as the congregation’s Sabbath Leave.
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History of Leave
- Bill has not taken a sabbatical since he arrived 11 years ago.
- Bill gets 6 weeks vacation and generally carries over an accrued vacation week, making 7 in 2019.
- Bill gets one week study leave a year and a monetary allotment from his original call. He has accrued about $8,000 in preparation for a sabbatical in this account and next year’s budget would bring it to $11,000.
Bill’s Plan
Purposes
- Break the pattern of the status quo long enough to get good perspective on new approaches.
- Pull together exercises and publications from career and make them accessible to other ministers by posting to web.
- Write something about these topics
- The values and stories behind the renovations at FRC- small booklet
- The Spiritual Transition of Retirement - format to be determined
- Study how people retire in different countries
Places
- Most of the purposes, except 4 could be accomplished with some study isolation without great travel expense.
Time frame
- Four months
- Sunday after Easter - April 22 to September 1 (includes 2 weeks 6 days vacation)
Schedule
- Rustenburg, South Africa - April 29 - May 15
- Havana, Cuba - June 13-23
- July in Maine, August in Schenectady
Budget
- Study to be paid for by already accumulated study leave money
- Preaching support = $2000
Replacement plan
Preaching
- Gregg Mast two Sundays a month
- Woman preaching one Sunday a month
- Preaching mostly scheduled before Bill leaves
Programmatic
- Jazz Vespers - Abby and lay people
- Bible Bunch - Abby
- Nominating, Annual Meeting, Committee Leadership - Daniel
- Meetings: Staff and Consistory - Daniel
- Supervision and Direction - Daniel