wfn.org | ABNS - Clergy Health Is Ministerial Leadership Commission Priority

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

American Baptist News Service (5/7/02)--Members of the American Baptist
Churches USA Ministerial Leadership Commission voted April 30 to make clergy
health a priority emphasis for the next five years.  Meeting in its biannual
All-Commission Gathering, the Commission set a goal of making the well-being
of its ministerial leaders a core value of American Baptist Churches USA.

This clergy health initiative recognizes that while most ministerial leaders
lead balanced, productive lives, there are serious pathological conditions
in many clergypersons often manifest in burn-out, physical deterioration,
and dysfunctional personal, family and social life.  All American Baptists,
Commission members affirmed, must be involved in helping the healthy to stay
healthy while helping others to reach acceptable levels of well-being.

Major presentations were given by Dr. Kirk Byron Jones, author of Rest In
The Storm; Dr. C. Jeff Woods, author of Better Than Success; and the Rev.
Pamela Lee Cranston, author of Clergy Wellness and Mutual Ministry.  In
their individual workshops and joint symposium they reviewed the health
status of American clergy, pointed to the need for a greater emphasis upon
wellness and urged American Baptists to see clergy health as a matter of
critical importance.

Susan Gillies, executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of
Nebraska, led the group in Bible study.  Many American Baptist regions and
agencies shared in the Clergy Health Fair by preparing posters and
distributing other materials about their present efforts to promote clergy
health.  A Judson Press bookstand provided many printed resources in clergy
health.

To realize its vision the Commission embraced an action plan designed to
mobilize all parts of the American Baptist Churches in the effort.
Ministerial leaders, local congregations and agencies, regions and national
American Baptist groups will have critical roles to play in caring for those
who provide care.

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (610)768-2077; fax:
(610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org; richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

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