Guidelines for Formational and Spiritual Renewal Leave

Introduction

There comes a time, when ministers need to reassess the spiritual dimension of their lives. All of us do this on a regular basis, but sometimes we need a more concentrated approach to make some changes or simply to evaluate that aspect of our personal life and/or ministry. We have all heard the aphorism that you can’t give water to people when your well is dry.

The General Church recognizes this place in which we sometimes find ourselves and in The Book of Discipline – 2016, addresses that need with guidelines for a “formational and spiritual growth leave”. In the document that follows, I will seek to address what is meant by such a leave and the manner in which one would enter into such a leave and the impact that it has with one’s relationship to the church and annual conference.

Rev. Terry Goodman Director, Clergy Services Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church

Part One: The Foundations of Such a Leave

I am a DIY woodworker/handyman and I have learned that when building something it is always important to lay a foundation as the first step of a building project. That same principle applies when we begin to consider why we have the provision for a formational/spiritual renewal leave. For United Methodists, that foundation is laid in The Book of Discipline – 2016.

Book of Discipline – 2016 ¶350.3 states:

3. A clergy member may request a formational and spiritual growth leave of up to six months while continuing to hold an appointment in the local church. Such leaves are available to clergy members who have held full-time appointments for at least six years. Such a leave shall be with the approval of the committee on pastor-parish relations, the church council, and the district superintendent. Annual conferences are encouraged to assist with pulpit supply and other temporary support for such leaves.

Setting the Context

It is important to consider the broader context of ¶350.3. It is set within ¶350: Continuing Education and Spiritual Growth. One of the key foundation stones of United Methodism is that we expect our ministers to continue to grow in their knowledge and understanding of scripture, leading the church, growing in faith, etc. etc. Growth is paramount to our ability to be on the cutting edge and not simply leaning on what we may have learned eons ago in seminary or course of study. We are expected to grow and ¶350 lays out some of those foundational stones.

In 350.1 it is clear that “…clergy shall engage in continuing education for ministry, professional development and spiritual formation and growth…” It further states: “…This shall include carefully developed personal programs of study augmented periodically by involvement in organized educational and spiritual growth activities. These practices embody the Wesleyan emphasis on lifelong growth in faith, fostered by personal spiritual practices and participation in covenant communities.”

Thus, it is clear that we are instructed as pastors to focus on growth. If you then look at ¶350.2, you can see that it is specified that

“A clergy member’s continuing education and spiritual growth program shall include professional formation leaves at least one week each year and may include at least one month during one year of every quadrennium. Such leaves shall not be considered as part of the ministers’ vacations and shall be planned in consultation with their charges or other agencies to which they are appointed as well as the bishop, district superintendent, and annual conference continuing education committee.”

Note that there is a rhythm to the spiritual growth aspect of a clergy person’s ministry. One week each year is expected/allowed. One month in each quadrennium is allowed. Also note, that this is not considered vacation time. It is not simply time you take off to rest. Instead it is intentional time that you use to focus on continuing education and spiritual growth.

As we move on to ¶350.3 we notice that the rhythm is more extended. The formational and spiritual growth may be of up to six months in length after you have served a minimum of 6 full time years of fulltime service (appointments) within the annual conference—not 6 years in the local church to which you are appointed.

In ¶350.4 we note that it spells out the “…financial arrangements for continuing education…” are spelled out for the various categories of ministers in relation to the conference.

In ¶350.5 we find the accountability portion of this paragraph. We are asked, by our District Superintendent, as a part of our charge conference process to report the “…programs of continuing education, formation, and spiritual growth for the past year and plans for the year to come.” At the same time, the District Superintendent is also asking the local church how it will support you in these endeavors.

In ¶350.6 we are reminded that even those in extension ministries and appointments beyond the local church “…shall give evidence of their continuing formation and spiritual growth program and future plans in their annual reports (¶344.2a)”

All in all, a firm foundation is laid with some clear guidelines and expectations. In the next section, I will focus specifically on ¶350.3 and some of the guidelines that we need to consider.

Part Two: What is a Formational/Spiritual Renewal Leave

Herin lies some interpretation of what The Book of Discipline – 2016 is saying to us. It is not clear what this leave entails. However, I would posit that it has to be intentional in nature. A person just does not request up to six months to do nothing. That is a vacation. The time must help the pastor to focus on some aspect of the pastor’s formational or spiritual life.

I would like to suggest that formational refers to the relationship that the pastor has with the congregation. For example: A focus on being a better preacher; A focus on better pastoral care skills; A focus on learning how to help the congregation (fill in the blank) The end result of a formational leave would be a better equipped pastor to lead or guide the congregation into a better ministry position.

Spiritual leave, is not focused on the relationship a minister has with the congregation, but focused on the relationship that the minister has with God. During a spiritual leave, the minister might focus on developing a better prayer life. Developing a stronger Bible study plan. Engaging with a spiritual director that would help the minister get a better understanding of the minister’s current spiritual life.

As a part of this leave, the minister needs to develop a plan—a guiding document—as to what the minister seeks to do and, at the end, reflection on what the minister has learned. This document should be shared beforehand with the District Superintendent and the church and the reflection at the end should likewise be shared. This is part of the accountability structure that is found in ¶350

Part Three: How Does One Take a Formational/Spiritual Renewal Leave

A formational and spiritual leave begins with the minister realizing that there is a need that cannot be dealt with via the one week per year or one month per quadrennium approach outlined in ¶350.2 A formation and spiritual renewal leave should be greater than one month but cannot exceed six months. It is a major commitment on the minister’s behalf as well as the church.

According to ¶350.3 numerous groups must be involved in the planning of such a leave. I would suggest that it begin with a conversation between the pastor and the District Superintendent. The District Superintendent can begin helping the pastor think through the process and examine alternatives that might be available to assist the pastor in achieving the desired outcome. Also, beginning with the District Superintendent keeps that person informed because when it is brought up with the staff pastor parish relations committee, there will almost certainly be a call from that committee to the District Superintendent. I would suggest that the conversation with the District Superintendent include a draft written proposal that could then be shared with the staff pastor parish relations committee.

After meeting with the District Superintendent, who can now be your ally as you meet with the staff pastor parish relations committee, you then arrange a time to talk with the staff pastor parish relations committee about your request. I suggest that you arrange the meeting so that this is the sole item of discussion and that you come prepared to share what brought you to this place in your life and how you think that a formational and spiritual renewal leave will help you to be better equipped to lead the church and deepen your relationship with God. You may or may not want the District Superintendent present at this meeting. That will vary from situation to situation.

Once the staff parish relations committee is on board with the concept, they will become your chief ally as this request is presented to the church council. I would suggest that you let the chair of the staff pastor parish relations committee be the person that presents the request. This person should be well aware of the reasoning behind the request and can be the advocate you need to present this to the church council. If necessary, the District Superintendent might also be present at this meeting. Again, that would depend upon the circumstances in each setting.

Once these three entities: District Superintendent, staff pastor parish relations committee and church council are in agreement of the need for you to engage in a formational and spiritual growth leave, it is then time to work out the details of when it begins and how the church will function in your absence.

Part Four: Working out the Details

At this point I want to pause and help you to understand your relationship to the annual conference. As a member of the annual conference you have a certain status. You are under appointment. You are in an extension ministry or ministry beyond the local church. You are expected to always be in a status—a relationship—with the annual conference. If you were to ask for a Voluntary Leave of Absence (as found in ¶353) this would entail a change in your status. You would be saying that you are not able to continue in ministry and need to step away for a season. You would set aside your appointment and enter into a time that you were no longer related to a local church, an extension ministry or an appointment beyond the local church.

A formational and spiritual growth leave does not impact your relationship to the annual conference. You are still under appointment and are still related to the church which is granting you the requested leave. This is similar to maternity/paternity leave. Persons entering that sort of leave also remain in a proper status with the annual conference and connected to the ministry site to which they have been appointed.

Since the Board of Ordained Ministry is not involved in this decision, it becomes something that is worked out between the pastor, the ministry setting and the District Superintendent. The key words here are worked out. This will not be a simple event. If you ask for a full six month leave, this means that the church must continue its financial support, pensions support and health care support during this time of leave. It means that the church will not have a pastor to turn to for leadership and guidance. It is a great time for laity to step up and engage in ministry in ways that they might heretofore not have done. It will also be scary for many of them to take on these new responsibilities. If you have an associate minister, this person can step forward and continue with pastoral guidance for the congregation.

Not everyone, however, has an associate minister on their staff. Not everyone even has a staff to assist in some of the elements of pastoral care and leadership of the congregation. Therefore, there must be careful thought given to how things will work when you are not in the picture. Among those things to consider:



Who will preach each Sunday?

o Are their lay speakers within the congregation?

o Are there Certified Lay Speakers within the district?

o Are there Certified Lay Ministers that could come in and lead in your absence? 

Who will provide pastoral care?

o Who will make hospital visits?

o Who will conduct funerals?

o Who will visit those that are in nursing homes? 

How will administrative work be completed?

o Is there a church secretary/administrative assistant that could continue weekly bulletins?

o Do you help prepare reports for meetings? Who will prepare those reports? 

How will this leave be conveyed to the congregation?

o Will the staff pastor parish relations chair be on the forefront?

o Will there be time for a gradual build up prior to the beginning of the leave wherein you can begin to share the reasons for the leave and what the benefits of the leave will be for the local church when the leave is completed?

o Will the pastor be the sole person trying to explain the concept and reasoning for the leave?

o Will other members of the church council be involved?  What will be expected when the leave is completed?

o As a part of the leave process, you should have developed a plan of action. That plan should signify what you will be doing during the leave to assist you in formational and spiritual growth.

o That plan of action should also include a plan for how you report back to the congregation the results of the leave. What did you learn about your ministry? Did you grow closer to God? How will you share the insights you have gained?

I hope that you can see that this is not a simple process to be unadvisedly entered into. It is a process that can provide you the space that is needed to pause for a moment and acquire the skills (formational) and the relational growth (spiritual) that will equip you to better lead your congregation.

Part Five: The Covenant

One of the words of our faith is covenant. An agreement between one party and another party. The Bible is full of examples of covenants. Some between God and humanity. Some between humans. All of them have at their core some sort of agreement between the two parties.

I would suggest that there needs to be a covenant that spells out at least the following items:

1.) Why you feel the need to enter into a formational spiritual renewal leave

2.) What you intend to do during this leave that will better equip you formationally and spiritually.

a. Is there something in particular that the congregation might ask for you to do?

3.) How you will share with the congregation the outcome of the leave. Did you grow? In what ways? Did you not grow? What stopped you from growing? What did you learn about yourself? How will you lead differently as a result of this time apart?

From the congregational side of the equation, you need to spell out at least the following items:

1.) How will we support the pastor during this time of formational and spiritual leave?

a. This would entail financial and other benefits.

b. It could entail ongoing prayer.

c. It could entail assurances that the pastor will be given the space needed to address the issues that the pastor has identified.

d. Be an advocate for the pastor with the congregation.

2.) How will we order our congregation’s life in regard to…

a. Sunday worship including preaching and the sacraments

b. Pastoral care of congregants: visiting the sick and shut-ins

c. Funerals

3.) How will we celebrate the end of the leave?

a. Will we have a meal? Will we have a presentation? Will we have a special worship service?

In addition to the church and the pastor, there should also be a statement from the District Superintendent as part of the covenant:

1.) How will the DS support the pastor during this time of leave?

2.) How will the DS support the church during this time of leave?

3.) Will the district/conference be able to supply any resources during this leave?

a. Financial

b. Persons (CLS, CLM, SY) to assist in preaching and visitation

Part Six: Concluding Thoughts

As I wrap this up, I want to make sure that the pastor, District Superintendent and the church take seriously the request that is being made. It should be made only after careful, prayerful thought and consideration. There should be a time of discernment and build-up prior to the beginning of such a leave. There should be intentionality in what is done during the leave. Their should be accountability via reporting after the leave. There should be thankfulness that God is able to move in such a leave to draw the pastor into a deeper relationship and to better equip the pastor to serve and lead the congregation.