Ministry of Thriving: Burn Out or Burn On?

Join us for Lunch on September 22, 2021

Ministry leaders, are you restless, easily irritated, distracted, or perhaps unable to focus? Feeling unproductive, cynical, unable to cope, and/or tired much of the time? Given the current moment, you are likely experiencing symptoms consistent with burnout.

Not experiencing these things? Read the list again, then check with your spouse, child, or co-worker. You may actually be in greater trouble. It’s not what we know about ourselves that gets us in trouble.  It is what we don’t know.

Stress in Ministry

As leaders of a church, ministry, or other alternative form of a faith community, you have had an extra dose of stress to endure. Thanks to a pandemic, you had to pivot to an online presence in an effort to best support the people under your care. You have been preaching for months into a camera without the relational rewards of being gathered. Along with everyone else you also had to endure financial insecurity, health risks, and the impossible decisions regarding gathering in person or not, masked or not, vaccinated or not.

The Covid challenges were placed on top of the longer simmering tensions of ministry. How do we live out our faith in a cultural moment that is increasingly hostile to us? How do we start new congregations or keep existing ones running? With declines in attendance how do we provide all the ministries and services that are expected of us? If my congregation doesn’t grow, am I in the right calling?

We hear and see you… and I think we can help each other.

Ministry of Thriving

In this lunch presentation, we will give a hopeful way of thinking about how to increase one’s resilience and longevity in ministry. Our work in this space has been based on careful research funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. and is now making its way into practical application here in town through the work of Flourish San Diego.

Over lunch, we will share a framework that we call A Ministry of Thriving. Through some guided-discussion and a presentation of our approach to resilience in ministry, we hope you will receive encouragement and a hopeful vision for moving forward, both in this challenging moment as well as for however long you find yourself in ministry.

If you are a pastor, church planter, elder… whether paid or un-paid (and perhaps especially if you are under-paid) you should join us and learn about our offerings for your resilience and well-being. We extend a special invitation to women in ministry as we work to do a better job of supporting them through their unique challenges in ministry.

Can’t wait? What to read more?  Here is a paper that begins to outline what we mean by the Ministry of Thriving.

Details

Date: Sept 22, 2021

Time: 11:30a – 1:30p

Place: Communion Church 6555 Balboa Ave, San Diego CA 92111

Lunch: Chick-Fil-A (Sandwich meal, chips, cookie.) Contact us for dietary accommodations

Cost: $5 General Admission, Free to alumni of the Collective Academy. Note that registration closes at Noon on 9/20/2021 so we can sort out the catering.

Covid: Masks are optional. Vaccinations encouraged.