Diocese of Portsmouth
The Church of England

In this section

Extended Ministerial Development Leave Sabbatical

Introduction

All licensed clergy may apply for a Sabbatical, which is a three-month period of paid leave. To qualify you must have completed at least ten years in service from being ordained deacon or serving for at least 10 further years since your last Sabbatical. This run of at least 10 years does not have to been completed wholly in Portsmouth Diocese or in one post. A Sabbatical will not normally be granted within the first two years of a new appointment in the diocese, or within two years of expected retirement, regardless of your years of service or period since your last Sabbatical.

Purpose

A Sabbatical is primarily about a period of rest and refreshment which also offers an opportunity for study and personal development should this bring you life. The emphasis should be on a time of restoration amidst the demands of long-term ministry. Any projects within the period should be life-giving with the expectation of bringing a positive benefit to the wellbeing of the individual.

Process

Those clergy who qualify for a Sabbatical need to have the approval of their Archdeacon, which can be sought and explored at their Ministerial Development Review.

Planning

The key to a successful and enjoyable Sabbatical will be effective planning. The Ministry and Discipleship Team will be happy to assist you in this process, and it is recommended, wherever possible, to begin planning at least nine months beforehand. Please contact the Lead for Revive, Neil Smart, for initial support.

Outcome

There is no need to report back on the outcomes of your Sabbatical. Bishop Jonathan has indicated that he trusts his clergy to use this time well. His delight will be to see you rested and refreshed in your relationship with God ready for the next phase in your ministry.

Cover

Incumbents are responsible for arranging cover and a small practical plan for the parish during their absence, in consultation with their Area Dean, working with their local team.

Financial matters

A bursary is available from Diocesan funds for each approved Sabbatical. The amount of this bursary will be agreed with the Ministry and Discipleship Team up to a maximum of £1,000, and it will depend upon the submission of a rough budget for what you choose to claim for.

The Lead for Revive is also willing to write to an Incumbent’s PCC suggesting that they may wish to assist financially.

Some additional funding sources

The Trinity Trust

This local charity has funds specifically available for retreats and the application process is very simple. Click here for details.

Women’s CME Trust

The aim of the Women’s CME Trust is to further the Continuing Ministerial Education of women in the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church by means of grants to ordained women, female Accredited Lay Workers and religious sisters. Further details are available from the Church of England website.

Ecclesiastical Insurance Group

EIG run a competitive Ministry Bursary Scheme for clergy across the country. For further information contact EIG, email.

The Fellowship of St John Trust association

Provide funding for UK clergy undertaking approved sabbaticals. Click here for details.

Some tips for successful Sabbaticals

  1. Do one or two things well, rather than trying to cram in lots of little bits.
  2. Leave space rather than trying to fill every day (three months seems a long time, but it goes very quickly!)
  1. The week before your Sabbatical starts, plan a full week in your diary without making appointments to clear your desk.
  2. Set your email out-of-office assistant for the duration of your Sabbatical to say that all emails will be deleted unread – and do just that! Set up a separate email account for family and friends.
  3. Consider a supervisor or mentor to accompany you on the Sabbatical.
  4. If you have family who live with you plan with them, so you all understand each other’s hopes and expectations for the period.
  5. Think about what truly brings you rest and refreshment and prioritise this first.
  6. Consider a retreat at some point in the first two weeks and at some point in the last two weeks to see how God may be speaking to you at the start and the end of your Sabbatical.