Looking after YourselfWorkshop

Lt Colonel (Dr) Eirwen PallantDeputy Director International Social Justice

Commission

USA Central Social Services Conference April 2015

What does it mean to be healthy?

The Salvationist meaning of healthy is the wellbeing of an integrated entity consisting of body, mind & soul.

Catherine Booth considered Salvation as ‘It is not a scheme of Salvation merely- it is a scheme of restoration. He proposes to restore me-brain, heart, soul, spirit, body, every fibre of my nature to restore me perfectly, to conform me wholly to the image of his son.’

• What is your understanding of God

• How do it affect who you are and what you do?

Stress Factors

Rejection

Ways to Cope

Recognising that it is not personal Appreciating that we are not alone

in our experience Relying on God and requesting His

grace

Other Universal Stress Factors

Too much work Too little work Lack of work satisfaction Lack of clarity of roles Clash of cultures and expectations Perceived lack of appreciation Change Guilt etc

Personality influences how we experience stress and the factors that are likely to cause us stress.

There are no good or bad personality types just advantages and disadvantages for all types

Working in teams means accommodating and appreciating each person in the team with different personalities as well as different skills

How do we

understand what is a

team?

How should we

operate in the light of

our theology?

What are the factors that contribute to your stress, both from who you are and from your environment?

What are the factors that are likely to create stress in your team?

What adjustments can be made to accommodate/reduce the stress?

Why look after our bodies?

A healthy body makes us feel good We only have one body and we

cannot replace it Our bodies are the temple of God. A healthy body allows us to be

effective in mission

How to look after our bodies

Maintenance Diet Exercise Rest Regular status checks

And when it breaks down Seek the advice of the expert and then

implement it

From a pastor 34 years in ministry

‘At my present age I am now being forced to change my patterns… and I can no longer cheat’ (the main reason I have lasted this long without regular time off are because I keep a strict diet, I exercise regularly and spend time seeking God every morning.)

Joseph Mattera writing in Ministry Today

Signs of Burnout

Loss of focus and clarity of thought Loss of passion for ministry You become a maintainer rather than a leader You have a continual sense of hopelessness You isolate yourself from others You avoid new challenges You don’t want to problem solve You dream more of retirement than accepting

a challenge You lack patience with anything mundane Ministry as work rather than a calling

Burnout Recovery Tips

Take the day of rest Spend time enjoying the Lord on a daily basis Prioritise the things that energise you Revisit your original calling and vision Stay accountable to others within a leadership

community

Review

Questions

Discussion