Clergy

PNW Formation Committee chair Rev. Kathy Morse shares two opportunities for continuing education while calling for clergy to submit others occurring online. She also reminds clergy of their quadrennial boundary training requirement.

In her post for the Clergy Wellness Corner, Rev. Lara Bolger talks about the importance of finding support for the hard work of ministry. Especially "during this tumultuous time in the life of our denomination," she argues that clergy "can really hold each other up."

WASHINGTON, DC –There has been a dramatic decline in the number of young elders this past year, according to the Clergy Age Trends in the...

"In our hierarchical church system, there are plenty of ways we marginalize people called to ministry," writes Rev. Jenny Partch. On the Clergy Wellness blog, she reflects on the challenges of serving as a licensed local pastor in a system designed to give preference those who are ordained.

For the final installment of a 3-part series on burnout, Rev. Lisa Talbott offers four key strategies that have helped her to recover from a ministry "stall." While acknowledging that recovery can be a slow process, she argues that "burnout doe not get the last word."

"What Dennis uncovered was that within every community, people are looking for leadership and for answers." Rev. Shalom Agtarap recently spent some time with Rev. Dennis Paschke, gleaning some insights gained from his work leading Orting UMC outward toward its community.

The Formation committee of the PNW Board of Ordained Ministry is excited to announce a series of optional web-based clergy wellness workshops. The first workshop, 'Achieving a Healthy Body in an Unhealthy World' with Rev. Brad Beeman, will launch in January.

"What do we do when anything we can do seems like sticking our finger into in the dike in an attempt to fend off a tidal wave?", asks Sue Magrath reflecting on the surge in victims/survivors of sexual assault who are sharing their stories, some for the first time. She shares that clergy should prepare themselves to be present to listen to those who have been harmed, to advocate so that they are heard, and to fight for sweeping societal change for a better tomorrow.

"I’m not going to say everything went perfectly. I’m not going to say it was easy. But about two years ago I asked my District Superintendent for help with my anxiety disorder, and I’m glad I did." Rev. Austin Adkinson, pastor at Haller Lake UMC in Seattle, shares his story of asking for and receiving help as a means of encouraging clergy colleagues in need to do the same.

Puyallup United Methodist Church is honoring retired clergy member Rev. Tom Slate on the occasion of his 100th birthday, at noon on Saturday, August 4th. Clergy and laity who remember Tom are invited to join in the celebration or to send him a note of appreciation and congratulations.