Policy

  1. Refreshment Leave (RL) is for the purpose of personal spiritual refreshment in a manner and environment in which the employee is able to fully disconnect from all responsibilities and concerns related to their job duties. Much like a “Day with the Lord,” these “weeks with the Lord” are to be enjoyed according to the philosophy and Best Practices below.
  2. RL is available to all Full-time (FT) and Part-time Partial Benefits (PTPB) employees who are not eligible for Sabbatical Leave. This includes Administrators, Coordinators, Directors, Managers, and Specialists.
  3. One is eligible for it during the fiscal year in which they have been employed for 5 years, and it must be taken within the fiscal year.
  4. RL will be forfeited if not taken within the fiscal year, unless the reason is a matter of the church (as employer) having prevented it. If so-delayed, the leave must be taken as soon as possible, and no later than January 31 of the next fiscal year.
  5. Employees may choose to waive their RL, but the next leave cannot be taken until their next 5 year eligibility period recurs.
  6. Calculation of the 5 year term is based on the employee’s most recent start date as a FT or PTPB employee. Residency years are included; prior periods/seasons of employment, PTNB employment, and Fellows’ years are not included.
  7. Administrators are eligible for 1 week and all others are eligible for 2 weeks (taken concurrently). The title the employee has at the beginning of the fiscal year they became eligible is what will be used to determine the amount of leave.
  8. One week of Vacation Leave may be taken alongside RL, and scheduling is subject to all applicable approvals for Out of Office (OOO) time.
  9. If RL is taken by an employee within the one year prior to their termination, the amount of RL taken will be deducted from their payout (subject to HR Policy) of accrued Vacation Leave.

Philosophy

Refreshment Leave (RL) is for the purpose of personal spiritual refreshment in which the employee is able to fully disconnect from all work responsibilities and rest into their core identities as children of God. When your work stops, your body can relax and enjoy healthy pursuits, your minds can explore and discover, and your souls can ease into God’s graces without the push of productivity and urgency. Much like a “Day with the Lord,” these “weeks with the Lord” are to be enjoyed with the main purpose of rest and the best practices of Sabbath. You’ll receive guided input prior to this leave, for preparation and intentionality of your time. It is available to designated employees (as defined in the RL Policy) who are not eligible for Sabbatical Leave.

Accepting RL means you are agreeing to rest first and foremost. As we decouple from work, we can sleep, hobby, and ‘friend’ more and remind ourselves we are human beings being transformed by Christ. Rest often leads to restlessness and this is good. It means our body is adjusting from unsustainable busyness. The margin created by not keeping up with programs, processes, and people will allow for God’s voice and Word to refresh and renew.

>Will you hear the Lord’s voice in the quiet screen-free, people-free moments when you aren’t ministering, leading, programming for or serving others?

Secondly, you will focus on your holistic health (physical, relational, mental/ emotional, spiritual) in the boundaries of your 1 or 2 week leave. Focusing on your identity as God’s loved and chosen, you have time to reflect and renew your relationship with Him. Whether it’s hiking beautiful trails, deepening friendships, or working on a project you enjoy, this time needs to be lived as pleasant, worshipful, abundant, and grace-filled. It is not bound by geography or role, and should incorporate family and friends that can care for, support, and pray alongside you.

>Who is God saying you are? How is He asking you to experience Him, learn about Him, grow in Him? How does He want to love you during this leave?

Best Practices: What your Week(s) with the Lord Can Look Like

These descriptive elements can help you prepare for your time, giving ideas to how to get the most out of your rest and renewal.

  1. Strong Launch & Ending Celebration: Mark the first day with a special start; end the leave with a celebration of what He is doing

    DO: Plan small moments to mark a beginning and an end.

    DON’T: Allow the first and last days to pass by like normal days off.

  2. Phones/Screen Usage: Curate a minimal usage plan especially for your phone; use your life-giving list to grab instead of phone time

    DO: Curate a minimal usage plan and delete apps that you don’t need.

    DON’T: Start messaging, calling, scrolling to catch up from the past missed opportunities. This isn’t the week to reconnect with everyone you know.