The third part of our grid on the physical health of pastors and educators involves the presbytery’s responsibilities. While it is obvious that the physical health of the pastors and educators in our judicatory benefits the whole church, we often do not bring a focus to this aspect of ministry.
A simple act that most presbyteries could do would be to have a presbytery nurse at a meeting to take blood pressures and perhaps other easily administered health evaluations.
The Board of Pensions, through their connection with the Mayo Clinic Embody Health program offers a Preventive Incentive program. It can be accessed at www.presbyterianwellness.com. Perhaps the presbytery could have a quick version of that wellness check list available at a presbytery meeting.
They could also invite the Board of Pensions to present some of their other wellness programs, including stress management, Tobacco quitline, and weight management programs.
If such programs were spread out over several meetings, it would also create a cultural awareness of the importance of physical health that could benefit the whole presbytery. This might lead to other discussions and other programs that would assist in maintaining a healthy church. To paraphrase Paul, “If one suffers, all suffer together.” (I Corinthians 12:26)
