50 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR PASTOR S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Transcription

1 50 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR PASTOR S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING We knw that gd health is a fundatin t effective pastral leadership. Of thirteen factrs identified by the Church Systems Task Frce t have a direct impact n clergy health, at least seven are directly impacted by the cngregatin and the Staff/Pastr Parish Relatins Cmmittee, including: Jb satisfactin Relatinship with cngregatin Wrk/Life Balance Living Authentically Marital and Family Satisfactin Eating habits at wrk Appintment changes/relcatin The fllwing 50 Ways are suggested ways the Pastr/Staff Parish Relatins Cmmittee and the cngregatin can supprt their pastr s health and well-being in all its dimensins - physical, emtinal, spiritual, scial and financial and thereby supprt the missin and ministry f the cngregatin. These suggestins are nt a prescriptin that will apply t every pastr r cngregatin. Use these suggestins as a starting pint in creating a healthy envirnment in which yur pastr s leadership gifts can thrive t better serve yur cngregatin. A recmmended way t use these 50 Ways is t stimulate a cnstructive dialgue with the pastr and P/SPRC regarding their supprt f the pastr s health and well-being, alngside r in cnjunctin with the pastr evaluatin prcess already in use by the P/SPRC. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Fr cngregatins having a change in pastral leadership- 50 Ways t Welcme Yur New Pastr frm the Lewis Center fr Pastral Leadership, available at: Agreeing and Disagreeing in Lve - ne page resurce f scripture-based guidelines fr dealing with cnflict in healthy, Christian ways frm the Peace and Justice Supprt Netwrk f the Mennnite Church USA, available at: Resurces abut health and well-being as well as infrmatin specific t clergy health can be fund at the Center fr Health s website at: The General Bard f Pensin and Health Benefits Center fr Health is prviding this infrmatin in this publicatin as an educatinal service t illustrate sme practices that may have a psitive impact n well-being. The Center fr Health shares this general infrmatin with the annual cnferences, lcal churches, plan participants, and clergy and wrkers f The United Methdist Church. It shuld nt be cnstrued as, des nt cnstitute, and shuld nt be relied upn as legal advice nr medical, cunseling, accunting, tax, r ther prfessinal advice r services n any specific matter.

2 50 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR PASTOR S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING PHYSICAL DIMENSION 1. Ask the pastr hw the P/SPRC and cngregatin can supprt their health and well-being. 2. Encurage the pastr t be physically active and participate in recreatin in ways apprpriate t their abilities. 3. Encurage the pastr t care fr their physical health by resting when verwrked and nt wrking when ill. 4. Allw the pastr sufficient time fr recvery frm illness, injury r surgery. 5. Ensure healthy fd chices are available at ptlucks and ther church events. 6. Dn t insist the pastr try everything at fd-related events r push them t eat unhealthy fds. 7. Ensure that any parsnage, ffice r ther envirnment prblems are crrected in a timely manner with the pastr s input. 8. Allw the pastr t take time ff fr dctr s appintments, preventive screenings, etc. 9. Allw the pastr t chse where they want t fcus in imprving their health and wellness. 10. Respect the pastr s privacy regarding persnal health issues. EMOTIONAL DIMENSION 1. Encurage the pastr t schedule a day ff in additin t a Sabbath day (ther than Sunday) each week. Respect yur pastr s day ff, cntacting them nly fr true emergencies. Discuss in advance what cnstitutes a true emergency. 2. Expect and encurage the pastr t take their full alltment f vacatin time each year and t nt return frm vacatin t d funerals, etc. whenever pssible. Help the pastr arrange fr pastral care cverage while they are n vacatin. 3. Recgnize that the rle f a pastr requires a great deal f emtinal energy (e.g., dealing with deaths, cnflicts in the church, and multiple demands frm members, the superintendent, and thers). Be sensitive t mre demanding times and arrange fr additinal supprt frm lay members f the church.. 4. Respect the pastr s respnsibility t keep many issues and infrmatin cnfidential, i.e. details f member illnesses, certain financial infrmatin, etc. 5. Encurage the pastr t have a cach r cunselr utside the church with whm they can discuss and prcess church and persnal issues. 6. Respect the privacy f the pastr and their family, particularly when they live in a church-wned parsnage. 7. Observe Pastr Appreciatin Mnth in Octber each year.

3 EMOTIONAL DIMENSION cntinued 8. Discuss any cnflicts r disagreements with the pastr directly and cnfidentially, giving them the benefit f the dubt and seeking recnciliatin. Encurage thers t d the same. 9. Allw the pastr t play a rle in setting the cngregatinal expectatins fr his/her time, talents, and pririties. 10. Identify which church prgrams and activities truly require the pastr s presence and which might be equally guided by lay leadership; manage cngregatinal expectatins accrdingly. SPIRITUAL DIMENSION 1. Encurage yur pastr t bserve a Sabbath day f their wn, ther than Sunday. 2. Allw time fr yur pastr t take regular spiritual retreats. 3. Encurage yur pastr t set aside 30 minutes each day fr prayer/reflectin during the wrk day, during which calls will nt be received except fr emergencies. 4. Recgnize that the pastr is als a Christian n a spiritual jurney and will nt have all the answers. 5. Pray fr yur pastr and their spuse/family and let them knw that yu are ding s. 6. Assume yur pastr is a cmmitted Christian and discuss thelgical differences in a respectful manner, recgnizing that Christians can cme t smewhat different understandings depending n their backgrund, life situatin, and Gd s unique wrk in each persn s life. 7. Encurage yur pastr t take a sabbatical (several weeks fr renewal and/r study) every few years, particularly befre r after very demanding times, such as: a building campaign, relcatin, r majr church cnflict r transitin. 8. Encurage the pastr t meet peridically with a trained spiritual directr. 9. Share with yur pastr ways in which their ministry has strengthened yur wn relatinship with Christ. 10. Supprt yur pastr in practicing spiritual disciplines in a way that fits wh they are and their persnal relatinship with Christ. SOCIAL DIMENSION 1. Encurage the pastr t scialize with thers utside the church family with whm they can step utside the pastr rle fr a perid f time. 2. Recgnize that scial events with church members (althugh fun fr everyne) are still wrkrelated fr the pastr and require the pastr t cntinue in the pastral rle. 3. Respect the pastr s time set aside t spend with their spuse, family, friends, etc.

4 SOCIAL DIMENSION cntinued 4. Supprt the pastr in getting ut f twn regularly, particularly when serving in a small twn, in rder t engage in activities utside the church s direct missin field. 5. Encurage the pastr s participatin in a clergy accuntability/supprt grup and allw them time during the wrk week t participate. 6. Invite the pastr and their spuse/family t civic and cmmunity functins where they can meet thers in the cmmunity. 7. Welcme the pastr s spuse and family as a part f the cngregatin and cmmunity withut unrealistic expectatins r demands, such as: expecting the pastr s children t always be perfectly behaved r expecting the spuse t be an unpaid staff member. 8. Encurage the pastr t engage in hbbies and enjyable recreatin activities utside the church setting. 9. Avid scheduling church meetings r activities mre than tw nights a week t allw the pastr t spend time with their spuse, family and friends. 10. If yur pastr is single, d nt try t set them up with a member f the cngregatin r a member s relatives, etc. Respect their privacy in dating relatinships. FINANCIAL DIMENSION 1. Cmpensate the pastr fairly accrding t their experience, educatin and effectiveness. 2. Ensure that all paychecks and reimbursements t the pastr are made n time. Never ask the pastr t wait n receiving their paycheck r reimbursement because church funds are lw. 3. Ensure that all pensin, insurance, and any ther benefit payments are made when due. Delayed payments result in lss f interest earnings r put imprtant benefits at risk f cancellatin. 4. Recgnize that mst pastrs cming ut f seminary have significant student lan debt that must be repaid; many cntinue t have significant debt later in their career as well. 5. Recgnize that the pastr s spuse may als need r want t wrk t supprt their family financially in rder t reach their lng-term gals as a family, i.e. sending children t cllege, retirement, etc. 6. Ensure that adequate funds are budgeted t cver the csts f the pastr s cntinuing educatin, as required by the Bk f Discipline. 7. Ensure that adequate funds are budgeted t cver the csts f the pastr s attendance at their annual cnference meeting each year, als required by the Bk f Discipline. 8. Be aware f the unique tax laws that apply t United Methdist clergy, wrking with the pastr t structure their cmpensatin package in a way that best fits their family and life situatin.

5 FINANCIAL DIMENSION cntinued 9. Encurage the pastr t make persnal cntributins t their retirement and t utilize the free financial planning resurces available thrugh the General Bard f Pensin and Health Benefits. 10. Ensure yur cngregatin supprts the Ministerial Educatin Fund apprtinment and ther cnference-level funds supprting clergy educatin and schlarships. The General Bard f Pensin and Health Benefits Center fr Health is prviding this infrmatin in this publicatin as an educatinal service t illustrate sme practices that may have a psitive impact n well-being. The Center fr Health shares this general infrmatin with the annual cnferences, lcal churches, plan participants, and clergy and wrkers f The United Methdist Church. It shuld nt be cnstrued as, des nt cnstitute, and shuld nt be relied upn as legal advice nr medical, cunseling, accunting, tax, r ther prfessinal advice r services n any specific matter.