The first area to consider is that of the physical health of the clergy and staff. Three major areas that attend to a person’s physical health are those of exercise, diet, and sleep. An area that can be addressed in both the category of physical health and emotional health, is that of how a person responds to stress.
To begin exploring this area, a small group should reflect, maybe first by themselves and then with the clergy, on how the practice of ministry can affect a clergy’s physical health. In many cases, this is not because there is something the congregation is doing wrong, but simply the nature of ministry in our time. Some areas might be:
1. Lack of a dedicated time to do physical exercise.
2. Not belonging to a Y or Sports club where they have the exercise equipment.
3. Not participating in a sport or some other communal activity that engages in physical activity.
4. Not getting regular physical exams that monitor health.
5. Skipping or rushing meals because of professional demands.
6. Not having a good awareness of healthy foods.
7. Not monitoring one’s weight.
8. Poor sleep habits.
9. Not allowing enough time for sleep.
10. Being aware of ways to interrupt stress when it has built up.
11. Recognizing and making allowances for particular situations that trigger negative emotional responses.
A task force can come up with more areas in their discussion. Then they should discuss them with the clergy and see if there are other areas that emerge from the discussion. Following that discussion, the group should begin to discuss how they might help the clergy address some of these areas. Begin with one or two items on the list and then agree to meet again in a few months to attend to other areas.
Hopefully the whole process will raise an awareness of the concern and build in support for not only the health of the clergy but for others as well. A helpful approach might be to share the concern with the congregation and invite others to join in a mutual focus on physical health.
