As she’s coached leaders all over North America and the United Kingdom, several themes have emerged over this last year, according to Rev. Beth Estock:
A sense of exhaustion and ensuing shame when meeting the edges of their capacities
Anxiety over their church’s future
More conflict and mistrust among church leaders and members
Clergy leaders and key volunteers looking for an exit out of ministry
Estock, a clergy coach and consultant who is an ordained elder in the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the UMC, is offering a new class “Leading with Renewed Energy and Joy” to help leaders like the ones described above thrive in uncertain times.
“How can we lead in a way that brings healing in an agitated world when we ourselves are stressed out?,” Estock said.
Her January 3 seminar is open for enrollment for $125 through December 7. The price increases to $250 after.
Estock said that with the never-ending unknowns of this pandemic, clergy have moved beyond their normal capacities to recover from stress. As a result, their nervous systems are in survival mode.
“As human beings we detect signals of safety or danger from those around us,” Estock said. “If we enter an environment where everyone is angry or fearful, we’re more likely to join that state as well.”
Everyone knows the gold standard of leadership is to be a non-anxious presence, but in a pandemic, it is exhausting trying to swim against the riptide of survival, Estock said. Clergy have a deep need for rest, grieving, incubation, and silence.
“No wonder we are on the edge of burnout,” she said.
Learn more about the course and register here.
“Her January 3 seminar is open for enrollment for $125 through December 7. The price increases to $250 after.” This implies the cost is $250 for the January 3rd seminar rather than $250 for the entire self-paced 30 session course.