The Practice of Lovingkindness Meditation
In the first installment of the Clergy Wellness Corner of the new year, pastoral counselor and #UMC deacon Denise McGuiness shares a meditative practice called Lovingkindness. She writes that "this practice has been a life changer for me, especially in the current state of the world that is full of divisiveness and hate."
Have you divested from your clergyperson?
"Clergy are often caught carrying the cross of United Methodist decline in ways that are both unfair and debilitating. This is not a recipe for success..."
Patrick Scriven offers some reflections which may be helpful to local church leaders looking to support their pastoral leaders as they weather turbulent days together.
Yoga: The Body/Spirit Connection
While there is no one right way to navigate clergy wellness, times like these do require intentionality according to the Rev. Laura Baumgartner. Laura shares how the practice of Yoga has helped her to listen deeply to the messages her body is sending her.
Pleased to Meet You, But I Already Know You
In a post for the clergy wellness blog, Rev. Laura Baumgartner writes about dual relationships, something that can be hard to avoid and require careful navigation. She identifies transparency, good boundaries, and prayer as tools to avoid harm and to allow God to work through these relationships.
We Say Goodbye A Lot
"Grief is a journey. I can’t just hammer away at it one day and expect it to be gone the next. It needs my attention." In a post for the Clergy Wellness Corner, Moscow First UMC Pastor Debbie Sperry shares how leaders must allow themselves to grieve as they help those they serve to do the same.
A Reflection on the Orders Retreat
By the Rev. Harriet Wilkin
Thank you to all those who were the Martha’s of the Clergy Orders!
On Wednesday afternoon, Rev. David Nieda presented a...
Living Apart: A God Who Bears Our Burdens
By Sam & Christy Geyer*
When I was appointed to serve as the pastor of White Salmon UMC, my wife Christy was not able to...
Burnout, Part Two
Rev. Lisa Talbott continues an important three-part series on burnout for the PNW Clergy Wellness blog. In this part, Lisa shares how burnout manifested, naming the "stall indicators" she encountered.
Love—The Only Way
The Rev. Dr. Joanne Carlson Brown offers her insights on the unique challenges faced by queer clergy in The United Methodist Church when it comes to wellness. She speaks to the value of sacred community and love in providing necessary support.
A Contemplative New Year
"Do New Year resolutions ... make us better people, better Christians, better pastors?" Sue Magrath asks this question as the new year approaches and offers an alternative, more contemplative, approach.
