There is a difference between pampering your clergy and demonstrating care and support for their ministry. If you are going to expect someone to perform excellent work in a demanding profession, offering support and appreciation for their work can enhance their performance. Over the next few days, I will identify ways in which a congregation can do their part in caring for the health of their clergy and staff. One simply has to recall the time and emotional cost of searching for and adjusting to a new clergy to realize that it makes more sense to keep your clergy and staff physically and emotionally healthy. Many of the suggestions that will be made in brief form can be developed more thoroughly by exploring suggestions made in the ToolBox at www.pastoralcarenetwork.com.
Physical health is one of the first categories that comes to mind. Emotional health is also important to consider. In most pressured professions, there is a cost to family health to be considered. Because the ministry is not a high paying profession, the issue of financial health is an important consideration that can be addressed in more ways than just raising a person’s salary. Two categories that are particularly important to clergy but can be easily overlooked are the areas of spiritual health and vocational health.
Different congregations will begin by focusing on different areas but they should keep all categories in mind. It is also important to consider these areas in concert with the clergy. However, a congregation needs to realize that often clergy have a difficult time giving attention to their own health. Therefore it is important that the leadership of a congregation emphasize that this is an important area both for the sake of the clergy and the congregation. When that perspective is established, it will be easier to work together to accomplish a mutually beneficial purpose
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