Homestead Presbytery 

Stanley Jewell, Vice President

   Presbytery of Denver

   White Water Valley Presbytery

Gary Weaver, Treasurer  Email
   Presbytery of Pueblo     

Steve McCutchan,  

    Salem Presbytery 

   Western Reserve Presbytery

Carol DeVaughan

   Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery 

Raafat Zaki 

   Synod of the Covenant 

Denominational Advisors:

SanDawna Ashley

   Mid Council Ministries, Office of the
   General Assembly PC(USA) 

Helen Locklear

PASTORS, GO TAKE A HIKE!

A pastoral care reflection from Rev. Jim Splitt, President PPCN

Then Jesus said, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest." There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat. Mark 6:31 (NLV)

In his article "Compassion Fatigue: An Introduction," author Charles R. Figley, Ph.D., points to research showing that those who care for others often end up traumatized by the experience themselves. Citing many studies that look at the emotional well-being of workers in the caring professions-from clinical therapists to trauma workers-Figley concludes: "Those who work with the suffering suffer themselves because of the work." 

In effect when Pastors care for those who have traumatic experiences, pastors may experience a secondary traumatic experience.

This sounds like those who are compassionate and empathetic toward others can experience a time of their own suffering related to someone else's experience. OH! This is why I'm so fatigued after a funeral ... and those times when I've had more than 1 funeral in a week, or had to visit 10 people in the hospital. OH! This is why I become weak. I'm very good in times of crisis and find that I can be at the top of my pastoral abilities when caring for those in extreme need. After the crisis is over, I have my own down time, when I feel exhausted. In fact I've often reflected that I'm emotionally and spiritually drained as if I had run a 20k marathon.

JESUS RECOGNIZED this and pointed out to his disciples. "It's time to rest and get away." As pastors, we need time for our spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental batteries to be recharged. Jesus didn't say, "Ok I've had enough of caring for people, and I don't have another miracle in me." He simply knew that after tending to the flock in such intense times of need, the shepherd needed to seek some solitude. And he didn't do this only for himself. HE TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES TO REST as well!

It is intentional and it is necessary. And the good thing is, it doesn't require a lot of time away. For me it's usually a day when I do something I enjoy like getting outside for a hike, a bike ride, or some other form of play. AND, I don't feel guilty for doing this. In fact, I can tell the church secretary, or my wife. "I'll be back; I'm going to take a hike."

PRAYER: Jesus, let's go take a walk together and rest. You've been busy all day listening to prayers so you need a break too. Let's go down to the river to pray, Good Lord show me the way! (from Down to the River to Pray)

REFERENCES

Charles R. Figley. Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Trauma Stress Disorder In Those Who Treat the Traumatized (Routledge Psychosocial Stress Series). New York. 1995.

Professor Charles Figley, Ph.D. Home Page Blog. "Compassion Fatigue: An Introduction. https://sites.google.com/site/charlesfigley/Home/traumatologyinstitute/research/cf

by Stephen McCutchan

For most pastors, Lent is a hectic five-week season prior to an even more hectic Holy Week that culminates in the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. You work hard to provide quality experiences of worship, Lenten devotionals, and other events that will encourage Christians to deepen their faith and experience a renewal of their lives. As a pastor, you pour out your energies on behalf of your congregation and look forward to it being over-not because you lack faith but because the events of the season are so demanding that you do not have time to nurture your own faith.

Consider a personal Lenten discipline that you could practice in the midst of your exhausting schedule and be nurtured in the Spirit. You are invited to take out your calendar and identify one-half hour each Wednesday from Ash Wednesday until Easter that you would commit to opening yourself to the presence of God in your personal life. More specifically, you are invited to experience a series of Lenten reflections on the meaning of God's call in your life.

Take advantage of your sanctuary as the location for your weekly half-hour retreats. The sanctuary is filled with the symbols of the faith, and it is where you engage your people on a regular basis. (If you are not active as a pastor of a church, seek out neighboring church sanctuary or chapel for your retreat.)

Each of the seven reflections on your call to ministry described here makes use of the psalms ....read more