EXAMPLE
Pastoral Sabbath Rest Implementation
Implementing the Sabbath Rest shall come under the office of our district pastor (superintendent).
- The district pastor shall correspond to each local board concerning pastoral Sabbath Rest prior to his/her annual visit.
- The district pastor will preach the Biblical principles of the Sabbath Rest at his/her annual church visit.
- The district pastor will meet with the local church board to present the "Pastoral Sabbath Rest" document.
The policy shall read as follows:
We are called by God to observe the Sabbath Rest (Hebrews 4:9-11; Leviticus 25: 1-7). Therefore as your district pastor and District Advisory Board we recommend the following: That all full-time ministerial staff and bi-vocational pastors consider participating in Sabbath Rest. Translated in practical terms, this means:
- Every seventh day a Sabbath Rest
- Every seventh month a week of Sabbath Rest
- Every seventh year (at a local church) a seven-week Sabbath Rest
- That in cooperation with the pastor, church board, and district pastor; a Sabbath Rest Committee be appointed for the following purpose:
- To manage and coordinate congregational work in the absence of the pastor.
- To ensure quality care of the congregation in the absence of the pastor.
- The committee will meet with the pastor prior to the time of the Sabbath Rest:
- To develop a plan as to how ministry plans and goals will be met.
- To develop an understanding of the plan, purpose, and procedures of pastor’s Sabbath Rest.
- To develop orientation plans to prepare the congregation for the pastor’s Sabbath Rest
- To develop exit and reentry orientation for pastor and family. Reentry orientation would include such items as financial update, new names, faces, attendance, etc.
- To develop an evaluation of the pastor’s Sabbath Rest (e.g., congregational impact), and present to the congregation and the district pastor.
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