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| CLERGY SABBATICALS—A BRIEF GUIDE
What is distinctive about a clergy sabbatical?
The nature of a sabbatical depends on the nature of the profession. A sabbatical for an academic is one thing—it may include time to rest, but mainly it is a time for developing new courses or redeveloping old ones; for developing new areas of knowledge; for reconceptualizing the teaching role, etc. A sabbatical for a corporate executive would be quite different; it might include, for example, time to reconnect with a neglected family, time to develop new leadership skills, etc. A sabbatical for clergy is something else again.
A pastor is above all an authentic spiritual leader who has a number of specific tasks and roles, but underlying all of them is his or her role as spiritual leader. So what kind of sabbatical is appropriate for a spiritual leader? It probably needs to include components which permit time for reflection, for rekindling the spirit and the sense of calling by God, for reconnecting more deeply with the tradition (Scripture, theology, liturgy), for deepening one’s own spiritual life. It may also need to include time away from church things, time with family, or time alone.
Why should clergy take sabbaticals?
A sabbatical may be well-deserved, but that is not a good reason to ask for one. A sabbatical is not only for the pastor himself or herself. It is also for the congregation.
How can a sabbatical help the congregation?
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A sabbatical can be a great time to develop lay leadership which might otherwise not step up because "the pastor does that." A well-planned sabbatical can be a great occasion for re-visioning, re-invigorating, and recommitting lay leadership. For this very reason, it may be desirable not to seek a replacement, except for emergencies.
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It can give the congregation and especially its leadership a much clearer picture of what actually happens in the congregation and what the pastor does.
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It may be a time for the whole congregation to get into the "sabbath" mood—a distinctively counter-cultural stance of letting go and letting God, and rethinking the "busyness" of congregational, family, and individual life.
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The sabbatical can provide refreshed, re-energized pastoral leadership—and may well extend the "useful" life of the pastor.
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The sabbatical can be a means by which the pastor can bring back to the congregations new ideas picked up from other churches.
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The congregation will benefit by letting the pastor experience life from the perspective of the pew, which can help the pastor sympathize with some of the concerns and assumptions of the people in the congregation.
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In some cases, the sabbatical may be a time for equipping the pastor for a new challenge or program chosen by the congregation.
What needs to be done to get the congregation to grant a sabbatical?
Every pastor ought to try to educate the congregation on the importance of sabbaticals and develop a policy for sabbaticals, even if the pastor himself or herself will not actually benefit from it. Communication is key! Assume that it will take at least a couple years to get the congregation to develop a sabbatical policy. Use the guidelines from your denomination or judicatory to support you.
What needs to be done to make a sabbatical possible?
First of all, the pastor needs to THINK SABBATICAL. Assume that a sabbatical is possible, not that it is impossible. Next, think of the reasons why you need a sabbatical. Then think of what you will do on your sabbatical. Now, what needs to be done to make it a reality? Don’t think of the sabbatical as a reward, however. Think of it as an opportunity for renewal for both you and the congregation. The congregation needs to agree to pay the pastor’s salary and benefits during the sabbatical. That will be the financial contribution of the congregation. Try to get your colleagues to form a ministerium for the purpose of making sabbaticals possible. A group of 15 or 20 pastors should be able to agree to allow one or two of their fellow clergy to go on sabbatical each year by agreeing to take responsibility for hospital calls, funerals, and other emergencies. Retired pastors in the area may also be willing to help out. Perhaps the pastor may be willing to take a temporary cut in salary to assist the congregation if it is necessary to pay for "pulpit supply." However, consider having lay leaders take over presiding at the regular liturgies. Bear in mind that you will be gone only about three months or so, and probably a good chunk of that will be in the summer.
What should I do on my sabbatical?
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First, assume that it will take at least two weeks to disconnect from parish life mentally and emotionally. You can begin whatever program or plans you have in mind right way, but it will take awhile to adjust.
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Keep track of your time well before the sabbatical and at different times of the year (e.g., one week in September, a week in July, a week in April). Use it to assess how you spend your time and as a reminder of tasks that need to be done while you are gone. Also, this will provide specific evidence for your board or council of what you do and why you need a sabbatical.
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Keep a journal before, during, and after your sabbatical (what you are doing, learning, feeling). This will help you not only discover what the sabbatical is doing for you, it will help when you report back to the congregation, and it will help planning the next sabbatical.
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Plan to be gone completely. Do not return for weddings or funerals, and make this clear before you go. If the congregation is well aware of this before you go, you should not have any problems.
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Make a list of your needs and identify those that are most important to you.
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Make specific plans for your sabbatical, even if your plan is to sleep late and rest a lot, and discuss the plans with your board/council or other governing body.
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Don’t try to do too much. This is a sabbatical, after all. Save some things for your next sabbatical!
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Assume it will take several months to train your lay people to take over the various functions that are needed: taking care of the mail (be aware of confidentiality issues here), visiting the sick and shut-in, being on call for emergencies, planning and presiding at liturgies, chairing committee meetings, etc.
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Include the congregation as much as possible in your sabbatical planning. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Be sure they are "on board."
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Reflect on how you want to do your "re-entry" when the sabbatical ends. Be sure to thank and recognize the lay leaders who helped you while you were gone. Be sure to report back—perhaps a written report mailed to all members of the congregation.
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Don’t assume you’ll never get a sabbatical! Start now to make it happen, and it will!
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