As Andy prepares for his upcoming sabbatical this fall, the timing is good to review what a clergy sabbatical is, and how they work at UCG. The word “sabbatical” is derived from the Greek work “sabatikos”, which means “of the Sabbath”, referring to the day of rest which occurs every seventh day. Interestingly, UCG’s personnel policy states that sabbaticals for ministers should occur approximately every seven years, which adds a nice piece of synchronicity! While sabbaticals are intended to provide “rest” in the sense that they allow a routine different from the minister’s normal day-to-day duties, they are not a vacation. Much like in academia, sabbaticals are intended as a time for ministers to learn new things, to renew and enhance their ministry, and to bring the fruits of this time back to the church. Also like academia, clergy sabbaticals provide an opportunity for ministers to grow in new directions and to refresh their ministries, which enhances their ability to continue serving one congregation. For this reason, regular sabbaticals are a critical component of retaining talented clergy for the long haul. Here are a few additional facts about clergy sabbaticals at UCG:

• UCG clergy sabbaticals last for 12 weeks
• Ministers wishing to start a sabbatical must develop a sabbatical plan at least a year ahead of time which includes goals for the renewal and enhancement of their ministry, as well as a plan for covering all ministerial responsibilities in their absence. This plan is developed with CMRB and approved by Church Council
• Clergy commit to continued service at UCG for at least one year after the completion of a sabbatical
• Because Bromleigh was due for a sabbatical as she was leaving her previous congregation, we negotiated a three-year wait period for her first sabbatical, rather than the traditional seven years
• Andy’s last sabbatical was in 2015. Because that sabbatical was delayed by several years due to the Reimer transition, the congregation granted him a six-year gap before the next sabbatical in 2021, which also allows the sabbatical to take place before Judah leaves for college

We are fortunate to have such high functioning, long-serving clergy at UCG. Sabbaticals are an integral part of our congregation’s support for our ministers, and their time away from us is paid back many times over in the new insights and renewed ministry that they share with us when they return.

Survey Results

The report of the second periodic UCG survey has now been distributed to all board and committee chairs.  As you may recall, the first year of the Three Year Plan (“Evaluate”) involves considering feedback from these surveys, with an eye toward year two (“Improve and Innovate”) in which church boards and committees and leadership aims to improve programming based on what we’ve learned from this year.  If you would like to receive a PDF copy of the survey, please contact the church office.  Tim Martin, CMRB chair

The Congregation-Ministry Review Board’s mission is to serve as a conduit between the ministers and the congregation. If you ever want to discuss a problem, concern, or something that went great, don’t hesitate to contact CMRB chair Tim Martin, or any of the CMRB members: Rebecca Beachy, Catherine Berg, Salina Briseno, Don Fitzpatrick, Barb Gibbs, Helda Montero, Donn Smith-Lopez, Brandon Telg, and Bill Zegel