"Rooted in the biblical concept of Sabbath, a sabbatical offers the opportunity to seek a renewing of ourselves as disciples and our vocation as ordained ministers. We do this by taking time through rest, reflection, and refreshment to grow in our understanding of God and God’s people in order that we might better serve the communities in which we are placed. In the Diocese of Chelmsford, a period of sabbatical leave normally comes through the invitation of an Area Bishop. It is not a right which can be demanded but a gift to be valued and anticipated in the course of a faithful ministry of service and self-giving. To enter a period of sabbatical leave well requires careful preparation and planning, enabling us to entrust our responsibilities to the care of others and ourselves to the God who has called us. This document has been designed to help you plan a period of sabbatical leave well through a two-stage process that enables conversation with your Area Bishop and CMD Adviser. As you plan and prepare, I pray that your time spent on sabbatical will nourish and renew your life in Christ so that you may rejoice evermore in the goodness of the one who has called you and is faithful."
March 2026
Introduction
In the Diocese of Chelmsford, sabbaticals for stipendiary clergy are authorised by the relevant Area Bishop in consultation with their Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD) Adviser. An invitation to consider a period of sabbatical leave normally comes from an Area Bishop following a Ministerial Development Review. However, a clergy person may may wish to raise the opportunity for a period of sabbatical leave directly with their Area CMD Adviser. A Sabbatical requires careful planning to ensure there is local ministerial provision, PCC, and Area Dean support during a period of sabbatical leave, and to ensure the sabbatical meets its planned purpose. Sabbatical planning is expected to be an 18-month process. To support this careful planning, there is a two-stage process to a sabbatical application before authorisation is granted by an Area Bishop. Please do not book overseas travel or make financial commitments before a period of sabbatical leave is authorised by your Area Bishop.
Detailed guidance about planning and applying for a Sabbatical can be found in the menu options below.
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Purpose
The purpose of sabbatical leave is to provide a sustained period of three months away from normal parish and ministerial duties for clergy serving in stipendiary posts. A sabbatical can take various forms, but the following elements of refreshment and renewal should be clearly evident in your planning.
- Spiritual: Time for retreat and refreshment, entering into and encountering prayer in ways that enrich your life of vocation and discipleship.
- Theological: A commitment to continual learning as a disciple of Christ, either through a short period of guided study, theological reflection, or engagement with a learning community.
- Wellbeing: A time of rest and recovery to focus on that which is good, restorative, and brings joy; this could include investment of relational time with family and friends or with communities that have nurtured you.
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Eligibility
A period of sabbatical leave of up to three months every ten years may be offered to stipendiary clergy who have:
- Been ordained for more than ten years; and
- Served in their current post for at least three years; and
- Would not normally expect to retire within the next five years.
If you are recuperating from illness or other adverse circumstances, please speak to your Area CMD Adviser before applying for a sabbatical. A sabbatical might not be the right choice for you at this time and another form of support might be more appropriate.
Please note, a period of sabbatical leave is distinct to maternity, paternity, and adoption leave, because of the sabbatical’s required focus on the refreshment and renewal of vocation and discipleship. Sabbaticals that seek to lengthen periods of statutory leave will not be authorised.
Sabbaticals are not available for those in training posts.
Sabbaticals are not available for those subject to a disciplinary process.
If you are currently serving in an interim or sequential interim post, please speak to your Area CMD Adviser.
If you are a potential or current Training Incumbent, sabbaticals will not normally be authorised during a curate's diaconal year and applications will need to take into account the impact on a curates training experience, please speak to your Area CMD Adviser for further advice.
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Funding and Advice
A sabbatical can be costly, especially where extensive travel is involved, so careful financial planning is important. A sabbatical should not place an applicant under serious financial pressure. Please do not book overseas travel or make financial commitments before a period of sabbatical leave is authorised by your Area Bishop. If a sabbatical application is declined, the applicant is solely liable for any financial commitments they have made. Area CMD Advisers are available for advice during the process of sabbatical planning, this advice could be about the overall shape of the sabbatical, advice around average budgets, or providing letters of reference for external funding applications.
The Diocese of Chelmsford can offer a grant towards a Sabbatical of up to £1,250 (this amount includes the clergy persons annual CMD grant). This amount may vary according to the nature of the sabbatical, the funds available from the Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance in the financial year, and the number of sabbaticals already authorised.
A period of sabbatical leave requires PCC support, and Parishes are encouraged to contribute to costs, where they are able. Remember, Parishes may be liable for ministerial fees and expenses incurred during the sabbatical period. Early conversation with a PCC enables good planning and budgeting.
Other external funding sources are available. If you are applying to an external funding source, please remember to give sufficient time for your application to ensure you have funds granted in good time.
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Application Process
To ensure a period of sabbatical leave is well-planned both for the applicant and their ministerial context, the Diocese of Chelmsford operates a two-stage application process.
Stage One is an opportunity to gather the key practical information about the proposed period of sabbatical leave. This will include giving thought to the nature, length, and focus, of the sabbatical as well as clearly identifying that ministerial support and cover is possible, evidencing the support of the relevant PCC(s) and Area Dean. Stage Two is an opportunity to further develop sabbatical plans to present a well-designed period of sabbatical leave with identified outcomes, and to evidence the provision of ministerial cover during the sabbatical.
It is anticipated that a clergy person considering a period of sabbatical leave will complete Stage One 12 months before the date of their proposed period of sabbatical leave and Stage Two 6 months before the date of their proposed period of sabbatical leave. This timeline is to give maximum time to planning, to enable (after Stage Two authorisation) the timely booking of travel (if planned), and to ensure ministerial cover is secured throughout the period of sabbatical leave.
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Stage One
A Stage One application is focused on eligibility for a period of sabbatical leave, evidence of the capacity to support local ministry during sabbatical leave, the proposed dates of the sabbatical leave period, the potential overall costs, and an outline of the purpose of the period of sabbatical leave which is clearly linked to the three key themes of spiritual, theological, and wellbeing, as outlined earlier in this document. Area Deans or Bishops Advisers applying for sabbatical leave should outline how their responsibilities will be covered during a sabbatical.
Submitting a Stage One application does not mean a period of sabbatical leave is authorised. An Area Bishop may refer a Stage One application to the Diocese of Chelmsford Bishop’s Leadership Team for wider consultation about the proposed sabbatical.
A Stage One application is to be submitted to the relevant Area Bishop via email with the Area CMD Adviser copied in.
An Area CMD Adviser will notify an applicant by email if their Stage One application has been successful and they can progress to a Stage Two application. If a Stage One application is unsuccessful the Area CMD Adviser will provide feedback and advice about next steps.
Please remember, the authorisation of a period of sabbatical leave is only given after Stage Two is successfully completed.
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Stage Two
Once an applicant has received notification that their Stage One application has been successful, Stage Two is the opportunity to further develop the detail and purpose of the sabbatical leave period. Attention in the application form should be given to develop the outline of the purpose for the period of sabbatical leave. Giving further attention to the three key areas of, spirituality, theological learning, and wellbeing. A good sabbatical should evidence an intentionality and integration of themes, to evidence how the sabbatical will achieve the planned for aims. A Stage Two application must give clear evidence of how ministerial provision will be covered during a period of sabbatical leave and who will be providing this.
In developing the detail of their Stage Two application, an applicant may want to draw on the content of their most recent MDR, exploring the themes of vocation and discipleship contained in the MDR documentation, particularly where exploring a potential sabbatical has been identified as an MDR goal.
A Stage Two application should use the language of ‘outcomes,’ identifying the planned for outcomes and how these outcomes will be explored or shared further. This may be through a post-sabbatical 1:1 with an Area Bishop or Area CMD Adviser, or another form of information sharing identified in the Stage Two application.
Finally, the transition back into a ministerial context following a period of sabbatical leave can bring its own challenges. If an applicant thinks they would benefit from a coaching conversation or support as they enter back into ministry, they are encouraged to include this as a request for support in their Stage Two application.
An Area CMD Adviser will notify an applicant by email if their Stage Two application has been successful and the sabbatical leave is authorised by the Area Bishop. If in the exceptional circumstances that a Stage Two application is unsuccessful, the Area CMD Adviser will provide feedback and advice about next steps as soon as possible.
Please remember, the authorisation of a period of sabbatical leave is only given after Stage Two is successfully completed.
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Further advice and help
If you have any queries about eligibility, funding or process please contact your Area CMD Adviser.
- Barking Episcopal Area contact Jane Richards
- Bradwell Episcopal Area, contact Andy Griffiths
- Colchester Episcopal Area, contact Julie Couchman-Boor
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Clergy Sabbatical Policy (Stipendiary)
Download a copy of the Policy here.