Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical for interim ministry personnel is funded differently, and the sabbatical plan and report are submitted to a different court of the church (Conference), but otherwise responsibilities are very similar to those of ministry personnel in a pastoral relationship.

The procedure for application to take sabbatical leave for interim ministers is the following:

1. Ensure you meet the service requirement for eligibility: Completion of 60 months of interim ministry within the past 96 months; this is equivalent to five years within the past eight years.
2. Contact your Conference office for information on the Conference Interim Ministry Committee's meeting dates and due dates for submission of applications. This timing varies among Conferences.
3. Research and develop a proposal for your sabbatical leave and the expected outcomes for the leave. Examples are posted in the Ministry Personnel Responsibilities section.
4. Complete Steps 1, 2, and 3 of Form FA 001 SL: Application for Sabbatical Leave for Interim Ministers and Funding from the Interim Ministry Sabbatical Leave Fund [PDF: 4 pp/49 KB]. It is always prudent to retain a copy for your records.
5. Submit the application form to your Conference Interim Ministry Committee in time for consideration. If the committee approves the sabbatical plan, it will complete Step 4 of Form FA 001 SL and forward the application to the Financial Assistance Committee of the Human Resources Unit, General Council Office, to arrive no later than November 15 of the pastoral year immediately preceding the pastoral year in which you wish to take sabbatical.
6. The Financial Assistance Committee will consider all Applications for Sabbatical Leave for Interim Ministers. NOTE: As sabbatical is a form of leave with pay, funding approval is mandatory for the applicant to take the proposed sabbatical.
7. Applicants approved for funding will be notified by the Financial Assistance Committee no later than February 28 of the pastoral year preceding the intended sabbatical period.

Please contact your Conference Personnel Minister or the Human Resources Unit, General Council Office, with any questions:

• Ministry and Employment
  The United Church of Canada
  3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300
  Toronto, ON  M8X 2Y4 Canada
  Tel: 1-800-268-3781, ext. 3161
  E-mail: Ministry and Employment