by Anna Moser
Just the other day, I had my first experience of a car dying on me while driving down the road. Thankfully, my fiancé was following behind me and pushed my car into a nearby parking lot in the 100-degree heat. While I was not familiar with the dashboard lighting up and the speed slowly decreasing, no matter how hard I pushed on the gas, I was familiar with the feeling of burnout my car was experiencing.
In my thirteen years of full-time ministry, I can think of several instances—especially on the tail end of a busy summer—when I wondered if I could keep on doing this job. I am thankful to be on staff at Sycamore View Church of Christ, where the well-being of our ministers is a top priority. Here are some of the ways they’ve emphasized soul-care with their actions:
- Our church has a sabbatical policy in place. After you’ve been a minister here for seven years, you receive a six-week sabbatical. After every additional four years of service, we receive a four-week sabbatical. We are encouraged to come up with a sabbatical plan, but we are expected to fully step away from our ministries and any urge to “produce” during that time away. I had my first sabbatical in 2023, and, like my car, I definitely needed to be pushed into a parking lot at that point. The time away with God, friends, and family ended up being exactly what I needed to get back on the road.
- Our church office is closed on Fridays because Sunday counts as a workday for us. While I sometimes have to fight the urge to get things done on Fridays, I am my best self when I take the day to rest, create, and get out in God’s creation. Practicing a weekly Sabbath on a Sunday seems impossible when you’re in ministry, so Fridays are encouraged to be our Sabbath days. The movement of Jesus from solitude to community to ministry throughout the gospels is an excellent model for all of us.
- Our church has a Minister’s Counseling or Spiritual Direction allowance. I am a firm believer in counseling and prioritizing mental health. The time to see a therapist is not when you’re at the end of your rope, but when you know you want to get better. I also met with a Spiritual Director before and during my sabbatical, which made that experience so much richer.
- Our church encourages work-life balance, no matter what stage of life you’re in. As someone who has been single for all of my ministry career thus far, it can feel as if you don’t have a spouse and kids, your whole life should revolve around your ministry. I have been encouraged to take time off to visit family and build community with others in my stage of life, even outside our church.
I realize that not all churches are able to provide these levels of support, but if I were to go back to negotiating my first job in 2012, these would be things I would push to be included. There would have been several fewer “stranded on the side of the road like a dead car” moments if I had these things in place. If you would like more information about any of our policies, please reach out. I think it’s much better to have some of these supports in place before you find yourself burning out.
About the Author
Anna Moser has served as the Children’s Minister at Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis, TN since May 2016. She graduated from Abilene Christian University with a degree in Ministry to Children and Families in 2011 and has been working in full time ministry ever since. Anna is passionate about the spiritual formation of children and enjoys using her creativity in planning events for families and teaching children of all ages about the love of Jesus.
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