This spring and summer, Reverend Paige Getty will be taking five months of sabbatical leave (from April 1, 2023 – August 31, 2023). A sabbatical is a period of time when Rev. Paige will step away from her usual responsibilities to UUCC and instead take time for rest and rejuvenation, study, and discernment.
In UU congregations, it is traditional for ministers to take sabbatical leave every 4 to 7 years. You may remember Rev. Paige’s previous sabbaticals in 2010 and 2015. Here is the section on sabbatical leave from Rev. Paige’s contract:
3.6. Sabbatical Leave
3.6.1. The Minister shall use sabbatical leave for study, education, writing, meditation, and other forms of professional and religious growth. Sabbatical leave accrues at the rate of one (1) month per year of service, with leave to be taken after four years but before seven years of service. No more than six (6) months of sabbatical leave may be used within any twelve-month period. The dates of the sabbatical plan must be approved by the Board of Trustees at least one year in advance.
3.6.2. The Congregation will continue full salary, housing allowance, and benefits during sabbatical leave. Professional expenses may be adjusted.
3.6.3. Every fiscal year, the Congregation will consider sequestering funds for use in funding the Congregation’s additional expenses during the Minister’s sabbatical. This sabbatical fund is the property of the Congregation.
3.6.4. In the event of the Minister’s resignation, termination, or retirement, unused sabbatical leave is not compensable.
3.6.5. The Minister agrees not to resign or retire from full-time service to the Congregation for a minimum of one year following the end of each sabbatical leave.
3.6.6. The Congregation agrees to take no action on ministerial tenure during a sabbatical leave.
In Rev. Paige’s absence, staff members and lay leaders will be stepping up to ensure that things run smoothly. Worship services, pastoral care, religious education programming, and all the activities of our community will continue as usual. This is also an opportunity for the congregation to contemplate who we are and who we want to be in the world. One aspect of this will be our collective work on our Values, Mission, and Ends (see more information about this effort here).
You may have questions about this sabbatical. We encourage you to attend this Sunday’s worship service “The Why and the What of Sabbatical” and consult the list of Frequently Asked Questions on the sabbatical website page. You can also email the Sabbatical Committee at sabbatical@uucolumbia.net. The Sabbatical Committee members are Jodi Brown, Jill Christianson, John Harris, and Kirstin Nelson, along with UUCC Executive Director Valerie Hsu.
Look out for future blog posts from the Sabbatical Committee, staff, lay leaders, and Rev. Paige herself to learn about plans for the upcoming sabbatical, reflections on previous sabbaticals, and the benefits of sabbatical leave for both Rev. Paige and UUCC.
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