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7 helpful tips in planning your first or next sabbatical

Over the past 16 years of ordained ministry, I have served two different churches as an Associate Pastor and Solo Pastor. At each church, I was the first pastor who stepped away from work to experience a three-month sabbatical. Recently, I compiled seven helpful tips to help launch pastors into their first or next sabbatical. I hope these tips will serve as a resource for the daunting, yet exciting task of sabbatical planning.


Before we dip our toes into the planning, let's muddle through the waters of what keeps pastors from utilizing their sabbatical benefits. If you struggle with taking your weekly day off or your annual vacation weeks, then, I am sure planning a sabbatical might seem impossible. Our Creator rested from work and calls you to rest from work too. As you experience regular time off, you will notice the need for rest and gain the required energy to plan your three-month sabbatical.


Why do pastors not take sabbaticals? 

Many churches and denominations do not offer sabbatical benefits to their pastors. If this is your circumstance, I hope you will advocate for one in your new or current call. A wise person once said, "If you don't ask, the answer is always no."

Many pastors serve at churches that provide sabbatical benefits, but they are in a difficult season of life with family responsibilities, health challenges, or financial restraint. If this is your circumstance, I hope you will move through these difficult seasons with hope of a future sabbatical in years to come. 

Often, though, the reasons pastors do not take a sabbatical are personal challenges like loss of identity, lack of control, or fear of not being needed. 


What keeps you from taking a sabbatical? Reflect on your reason(s) and take steps toward overcoming these challenges with the following seven helpful tips in planning your first or next sabbatical.


1. Pray with Openness

God is calling you to rest your body and rejuvenate your spirit

Most sabbaticals occur within the seventh year of ministry. In the first years of ministry, I encourage you to pray for the Spirit to reveal a vision of your future sabbatical experience.

Pray through your passions in ministry and missions. 

Pray for your relationships with God, family, neighbor, and friends. 

Pray about new or familiar places to explore. 

Then, listen for God's voice for your sabbatical plan to unfold.


2. Plan Early and Often

God will use your future sabbatical planning to enhance your present ministry.

It's never too early to start planning your sabbatical. If possible, start planning your sabbatical one year in advance. Consider an overall theme like worship with families, social justice in the world, or mission beyond the walls of the church. Below is a sample outline of a 12-month Sabbatical Plan.

12-months before sabbatical 

  • Set your sabbatical dates on the calendar

  • Outline your sabbatical vision. Sample Sabbatical Proposal below.



  • Talk about your sabbatical vision to family, close friends, and even strangers.

  • Meet with pastors who have taken a sabbatical. Ask about their lessons learned and joys experienced. 

12-9 months before sabbatical 

  • Provide devotional and educational opportunities on sabbaticals for your church leadership. Review church or denominational sabbatical polices like this one, Shenandoah Presbytery's Sabbatical Policy

  • Submit a letter to leadership about your sabbatical with dates and vision. Sample Sabbatical Letter below



  • Inform congregation of your sabbatical utilizing multiple forms of communication from a mailed letter to an announcement in worship.   

  • Apply for grants - see funding tips below.

  • Consider an overall church project for membership that aligns with your sabbatical vision which will keep you and the congregation connected in service while physically away from each other. 

  • Search for a supply pastor who will preach, teach, visit, officiate funerals/weddings and lead administrative tasks. 

9-6 months before sabbatical 

  • Record videos of pastors and members telling stories from their sabbatical experiences. Show videos at leadership meetings and during announcements in worship.

  • If possible, connect with every member before your sabbatical. Share your hopes with them and discuss their questions or fears with a visit, phone call, or email.

  • Research and confirm dates for your sabbatical.

6-3 months

  • Meet with staff members and supply pastor. Share your sabbatical vision and discuss their questions or fears. 

  • If possible, create a notebook or check lists. Sample Memorial Service Checklist below.



  • Make contacts and connections for your sabbatical experience.

3-start date before sabbatical 

  • Before leaving, send a hardcopy letter to the congregation to confirm your plans, share healthy boundaries for communication, and encourage them in their future church project.

  • Confirm places, experiences, and visits for your sabbatical. 


3. Fund with Multiple Sources

God will provide the funds for your sabbatical in surprising ways. 


Sabbaticals are expensive, but not impossible to fund. Consider supporting your sabbatical through multiple grant sources from your denomination, church, and family. Below is a listing of possible sabbatical funding opportunities:

  1. National Non-Denominational Grant

The Lilly grant application is extensive and must be submitted by a deadline which sometimes can be 18-months prior to a sabbatical start date. Pastors can receive large grants such as $25,000 to $40,000.

  1. National PC(USA) Grant

The Board of Pensions for the Presbyterian Church (USA), Sabbath Sabbatical Support

"The Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions provides eligible ministers with a portion of the financial support they need to take a sabbatical. The grant amount is up to $5,000."

  1. Shenandoah Presbytery in Virginia Grant

"Up to $6,000 per sabbatical. This grant is available after six years of service to a particular position in Shenandoah Presbytery."  

  1. Church grants 

Determine possible funding sources from your church such as general budget, endowments, or love offerings. 

  1. Family and Friends

Many close family and friends will want to support your sabbatical either through direct gifts or donations through your church.  


4. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

God will supply you with creative energy toward joyful communication about your sabbatical.


Sabbaticals spark different emotions from family, friends, colleagues, and congregations. Most people will be excited for your upcoming sabbatical and recognize the need for rest and renewal. A small majority will offer different responses like disappointment or resentment. And still others, will raise doubts or share hurtful comments. Effective communication will provide a smoother transition for your sabbatical. Communicate about your time away on your website and in worship. Send our letters and emails. Make phone calls and home/facility visits. Share updates in meetings and casual conversations in the parking lot. 


Before your sabbatical, how will you handle the following communications:

  • Who will check your emails? Supply pastor, staff member, church leadership or will you have an out-of-office reply. 

  • Who will check your voice mail at church? 

    Supply pastor, staff member, church leadership or will you have an out-of-office reply. 

  • Do you need to update your mobile voice message greeting with a sabbatical message?

  • Who will contact you in case of emergencies? 

    Supply pastor, staff member, or church leadership

  • How will you respond to text messages, and direct messages from social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram?


During your sabbatical, if you receive a text message, email or direct message, reply with an image acknowledging the message and your sabbatical dates along with who to contact while you are away.



After your sabbatical, prepare a thirty second response to the question, "How did your sabbatical go?" Most people will give you 30 seconds, and a few will give you more.


Before checking your email messages, I encourage you to prioritize your communication with more personal connections like phone calls and visits, especially with members, staff, and leadership who have experienced losses such as a family member, close friend, or job. In order to connect effectively, consider not preaching a sermon your first Sunday back. Spend your first week at work reconnecting through a spirit of humility and gratitude.


Recently, a pastor sent me the following message after his 11-week sabbatical:

Subject line: Thank you!

Email Message: 

Morning April, 

Thank you again so much for your advice and encouragement leading up to sabbatical and for your pastoral support to [church] while I was away! Really grateful for your support and I hope to catch up soon!"

Peace,[Pastor]


5. Go with Grace

God will empower you to lay aside work and embrace a season of rest and renewal.  


Our bodies, minds, and souls are interconnected. One of the best ways to start a sabbatical is to go away. New habits form quicker when we are away from familiar places like our homes and communities. While away from the chores and clutter, we can explore new routines and rhythms. Whenever we make a change like putting aside work and focusing on rest, we need to embrace the change with our entire body, mind, and soul. 


6. Rest Well

God will lead you beside the still waters and the green meadows for rest and refreshment.


As you lean into the sabbatical, I hope you will engage in different forms of rest. Learn about the seven different types of rest in Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's book, Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, and Restore Your Sanity. As we rest from our work, we will grow closer in our relationship with God and neighbor. These relationships will help restore us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. From sleeping to spending time with God, rest allows us to experience a deeper joy and greater meaning in life.


7. Return with Gratitude

God will provide you with a new perspective for the journey ahead.


During the last week of your sabbatical, your body will start preparing for your return to work. Since many people will want to hear about your sabbatical in a church newsletter or in worship, I encourage you to write a thank you letter to your church. Include aspects from your time away that you planned and some events that took you by surprise. Then, shortly after you return to church, send the letter to your congregation. Also, use the same letter to acknowledge your gratitude to denominational leaders, sabbatical grant committees, and individual donors. Sample thank you letter below.



I hope these seven helpful tips have provided new insight and a fresh idea for your first or next sabbatical. If you would like to learn more about sabbaticals, join me for a live conversation on sabbatical planning! 


Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Facebook Live at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (EST)Instagram Live at 4:00 p.m. (EST)


We will explore various sabbatical themes and spiritual practices together. Also, hear stories from previous sabbaticals of lessons learned and joys experienced. Come with questions for planning your sabbatical and we will seek answers with God together. Although this conversation is geared toward pastors, all are welcomed. I hope to see you there!


In the meantime, if you have questions about an upcoming sabbatical, feel free to email me at aprilhcranford@gmail.com.


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