Leaves and Absences

The Sabbatical Policy [PDF: 4 pp/185 KB] allows eligible ministers a sabbatical of at least three consecutive months unencumbered by their customary responsibilities, while still receiving their usual remuneration and benefits.

Rest is an important principle throughout scripture. God rested on the seventh day. God's people are commanded to observe the Sabbath (what is known in Hebrew as shabbath, meaning "to rest from labour"). Levitical law required a portion of the land to remain fallow every year to ensure continued growth in the future. And as the crowds of people seeking Jesus kept growing in number, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16).

Sabbaticals provide opportunities for study, rest, reflection, and prayer and are beneficial to both ministry personnel and pastoral charges. The minister may find rejuvenation of spirit and clarity of purpose, while the congregation may discover an increase in the level, and expression, of lay leadership.

The Sabbatical Policy is applicable to all full- and part-time ministry personnel in pastoral relationships who have completed five or more years of service in the pastoral charge that will be party to the sabbatical. (It does not apply to ministry personnel who are appointed interim ministry to a pastoral charge.)

The minister, in consultation with the Ministry and Personnel Committee and Church Board, must provide a plan outlining

• the nature of the study or experience being proposed (and its connection to the practice of ministry)
• its anticipated outcome
• its length, timing, and other specifics

After the sabbatical, the minister should provide a brief written and oral report about the leave. Ministry personnel are also required to continue in pastoral relationship with the pastoral charge for a period of at least one year following the conclusion of the sabbatical.

One way of using sabbatical time is to reflect on ministry with and through partners of the United Church. Several partners have offered to host clergy on sabbatical.

This policy was developed in response to petitions passed by the General Council 38, the Sabbatical Policy was adopted by General Council Executive in November 2005 and formally took effect January 1, 2006.

A version of this article appeared in Connex Issue 6, 2006.