Rise Above the Flood of Tears
End stigma and normalize conversation about Mental Health through Education, Empowerment, and Affirmation.
Rise Above the Flood of Tears
End stigma and normalize conversation about Mental Health through Education, Empowerment, and Affirmation.
Templates
Note: The Sabbatical Contract, Sabbath Contract, MentalHealth Contract, and Sample Letter to Church Council documents were created using ChatGPT and then modified as needed.
How well do you know people? How well do they know you? If you needed help, would someone know the best way to help you? This template is a "get to know you" questionnaire of likes and dislikes. It allows for you to share what would be most helpful to you in a time of need. I recommend filling this out and leaving it with a trusted friend before you are in a time of crisis.
The goal of this template is to provide information that would be useful for a church council or staff to provide for the needs of their pastor (or anyone in need). Ideally, this form would be filled out and left with a trusted person prior to a time of need. Examples of usage include to celebrate Clergy Appreciation, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or to be there in the event of a crisis.
Does your church have a Mental Health Contract? Do you even know what it is? This template is create a mental health contract for pastors and staff. It recommends procedures and policies to advocate for the mental well-being of pastors and staff. Modify this template in whatever way is fitting for your church.
“8Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” (Ex. 20:8-11, NKJV)
The Lord commanded His people to honor the Sabbath and yet church culture often discourages this practice. This template is to create a Sabbath contract for pastors and staff. The purpose of the Sabbath Contract it to intentionally set a day aside as your Sabbath and to encourage your staff to do the same.
A Sabbatical is not the same thing as a Sabbath. “A Ministry sabbatical is a ‘spiritual renewal leave.’ It is a purposeful ceasing, resting and planned refreshment, with a spiritual renewal component or emphasis. The leave accomplishes a purpose and specific intent: to renew and restore vitality and health – spiritual, emotional, and physical – in spiritual leaders.”[1] Alves further writes, “A sabbatical is not a vacation. It is a different kind of work – it is a directed time of refreshment and restoration.”[2] He recommends a minimum of athree-month in order to truly experience the benefits of taking a sabbatical.[3]
This template is to plan for a Sabbatical for pastors. For more information about planning a Sabbatical, see the recommended reading list on Sabbath and Rest.[1] David C. Alves with Marcy Devers Alves A Sabbatical Primer for Pastors: How to Initiate and Navigate a Spiritual Renewal Leave (Concord, NH: Paupakpress, 2014) page 29.
[2] Ibid., 31
[3] Ibid. 62.
This template is to send a letter to the church council to encourage them to create a mental health plan for pastors and staff.
