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Standard & Procedure Name: | Taking a Sabbatical |
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Scope: | Reliant Employees |
Revision Date: | July 10, 2024 |
Last Review Date: | July 10, 2024 |
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Sabbaticals are an important part of the life and career of a healthy pastor or ministry worker. Having a suitable sabbatical plan can help contribute to field staff being refreshed and refocused. It can also help field staff remain in the field long-term, giving them time for refreshment and reflection regarding their ministry path. Defining a SabbaticalA sabbatical is an extended time of spiritual rest, renewal, rejuvenation, reflection and refocus. It is not a vacation or Paid Time Off (PTO), nor is it only continuing education. It is a guided process where one deliberately trusts God for the outcome as they disengage from normal ministry responsibilities and leadership involvement for study, rest, renewal and evaluation of life and ministry. This can include reading books, attending seminars, studying, writing, prayer, etc. A sabbatical has an intended purpose and plan at the outset. This plan and purpose should be agreed upon between the local church leadership or ministry and the employee. At the conclusion of the sabbatical, individuals will be expected to give an account of their sabbatical time to both their local ministry leadership and to Reliant. Who is Eligible?
Policy ParametersDetermining Sabbatical Length
Common Sabbatical Parameters
Sabbatical Request Form
Sabbatical Handbook
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title | Sabbatical Guidelines from Navs | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tYbOAaC80jJyb6i9zj3Es6jLhu2lvH07/view?usp=sharing |
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Reliant acknowledges that sabbatical expenses can vary significantly from person-to-person, and, that a number of sabbatical expenses can easily blur the line between professional and personal costs. In order to bring simplicity and clarity to the expense recovery process, Reliant offers a Sabbatical Bonus to cover most sabbatical-related expenses. Reliant employees who have received approval for their sabbatical may request a Sabbatical Bonus of up to $3,000 (plus an optional 25% taxable bonus) that will be paid to the employee as an ERB. This bonus is designed to cover most sabbatical-related expenses including travel for rest/career evaluation purposes and family expenses. On rare occasion, some sabbatical expenses can be reimbursable beyond the bonus. Examples of these expenses include a conference or training that an employee has been approved to attend while on sabbatical, along with work-related coaching. |
- Meal per diem can be given for significant time away from the home. See Per Diem - U.S. for further details
- Spousal and family travel, meals, or lodging expenses must be deemed reasonable and necessary and are taxable if approvedare now included in the Sabbatical Bonus
- Books, conferences, study courses (Reliant Education Reimbursement Program may apply)
- Reliant sabbatical approval is required before any expenses can be reimbursed
Normal reimbursement deadlines still apply while on the sabbatical
- Please inquire with the Reimbursements Coordinator at reimbursements@reliant.org before making major purchases and plans to ensure the costs will be eligible for reimbursement
Reporting Abuse
- Any abuse or misuse of an approved sabbatical granted by Reliant should be reported directly to the Program Team lead. This could include an employee returning to work during the time or simply treating the sabbatical like an extended paid vacation
Other Resources
Sabbatical Handholds
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- If you're looking for more guidance and inspiration, please refer to our Sabbatical Handholds page on Solomon
- Confessions of a Former Sabbath Breaker
- by Eugene Peterson
- Planning Sabbaticals
- by Robert C. Saler
- Clergy Renewal: The Alban Guide To Sabbatical Planning by Richard Bullock & Richard J. Bruesehoff
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