Synod Council Affirms Sabbath Month for Synod Staff
In our work with congregations in transition, in our synod compensation guidelines, and as a consistent message across all we do, our synod supports sabbaticals and sabbatical policies as a way congregations can offer opportunities for renewal, respite, growth, healing and long-term sustainability in ministry.
A typical model for congregations offers full time rostered leaders (or all full time staff) the opportunity for 3 months of sabbatical every 5-7 years. While we still recommend this longer period of time away for congregations and most other specialized ministry settings, this model doesn’t fit as well into the realities of synod ministry.
In consultation with other synod bishops and their staff, and with our staff having tested the process, our synod executive committee offered a new model for sabbath rest, now affirmed by the synod council. Rather than a full sabbatical, this model offers the opportunity for every full time synod staff member to take a month of sabbath rest once during the course of a bishop’s six-year term.
Here are some takeaways from the synod council conversation on this change to personnel policy for synod staff:
After conversation–and some debate–about the topic of sabbatical in general, synod council focused on the question of whether or not to change the sabbatical policy for synod staff: moving from the existing 3 months every 5-7 years model to 1 month during the course of a 6 year term. Our staff was present and able to speak to the experience of Pastor Asher’s one-month sabbath in May 2022, and Nancy Salzwedel’s sabbath month in December 2022. Some of the benefits of this policy experienced by the staff were:
Clarity that all full-time staff are eligible and encouraged to take part, both rostered and lay staff members. While sabbaticals for bishops are fairly common in our region, our bishop and executive team wanted to be sure to have a policy in place that prioritized access to timely and significant sabbath for all synod staff.
While a one month sabbath isn’t long enough to do some of the things that are possible on a three month sabbatical, that period of time still feels restorative and beneficial.
With a one month sabbath, staff are able to cover for each other without hiring additional/temporary staff. Similar to the benefits of a pastor’s sabbatical for the congregation, synod staff feel this is one of the greatest benefits of the sabbath month, leading to greater mutual appreciation, empathy, understanding for each other’s roles, and improvement in team dynamics.
By affirming this change to our personnel policy, our synod council has made it possible for an experiment to become a model; one that many bishops and synod leaders have asked us to share. Bishop Anne Edison-Albright is scheduled for a month of sabbath rest in June, 2023; Pastor Jenn Pockat is scheduled for December, 2023. Jeanne Jerks has chosen not to schedule a sabbath month at this point, but she and Bishop Anne keep that option in conversation and open for her. Pastor Dara Clifford is a Churchwide Organization employee, and will qualify in 5-7 years to apply through that employer for a 3 month sabbatical.
When we model care for ourselves and each other and show that our mission is sustainable only when we share it together, we are freed as children of God to not be defined by our work, but by our belovedness to God.
Please hold Bishop Anne in prayer as she anticipates this upcoming time for renewal in June. Watch for more communication about how to be in touch with a synod staff person if you need to connect to support while Bishop Anne is away.
Any questions about this sabbatical policy may be addressed to Pastor Karen Jewell-vanBuskirk, always.hope54@gmail.com or Synod VP Nancy Schanke, vicepresident@ecsw.org .
