In-person Clergy Health Cohort
Second Thursdays, 10:00AM – 2:30PM
In Person or Online
Shandon United Methodist Church
Columbia, South Carolina
This track is in person for the seminar and coaching group, both in the same day each month.
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.”
—III John 2
“I will satisfy the weary, and all who are faint I will replenish.”
—Jeremiah 31:25
Leading the church in a volatile, uncertain world can be stressful. Expectations and demands upon pastors have escalated. The pace of ministry is exhausting. Often pastors fully invest in caring for the church, to the detriment of their own well-being. Pastors who focus on self-care and health will be more effective and happier. A healthy pastor is necessary for creating a healthy church. The purpose of the Clergy Health initiative is to provide resources, coaching, and clergy collective peer groups focused on enhancing the mind, body and spirit of those who serve in pastoral ministry.
A group of 6-10 pastors will meet once a month with a coach to learn and to support one another in the practice of self-care. Participants will do an assessment of their well-being, using the life-balance wheel, a healthy life-style assessment, and their annual health diagnostics (Health Quest data or other assessment recommended by one’s health insurance company). These tools will help the participant to discern areas that need attention. Sessions will include: healthy dietary practices, yoga and meditation, spiritual disciplines grounded in the contemplative tradition, life/work balance, setting physical health goals in consultation with your doctor, and setting boundaries in ministry. Each participant will develop his/her own self-care plan (the physical health plan can be confidential to adhere to HIPAA law). Some sessions will be “hands on” in the actual practice of self-care, such as an introductory beginner yoga class, a trip to Mepkin Abbey, and lunch at a vegan café.
Cohort Coach
Rev. Dr. Cathy Jamieson joins the Pinnacle Team as an Affiliate, specifically serving as the coaching leader for this cohort. Cathy has served with distinction as a pastor, campus minister, coach, mediator, and District Superintendent in the South Carolina Conference of United Methodists. With a passion for clergy health and well-being, Cathy brings her creativity, experience, and enthusiasm to this in-person, hands-on learning and growth experience. Learn more about Cathy here: https://columbiadistrict.wordpress.com/about/ds-2/
TEXTS
Primary book to be read by all participants:
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry, by Ruth Haley Barton
Excerpts from the following books will also be used:
The Sense of the Call: A Sabbath Way of Life for Those Who Serve God, the Church, and the World, by Marva J. Dawn
The Reinvention of Work: New Vision of Livelihood for Our Time, by Matthew Fox
To learn more or register:
Back to Clergy Collective page