Over-stretched church

I drove over to Llanedeyrn this morning to meet Phil and Rufus for coffee and hear how they've both been getting on in ministry over the months since we last met. One is coping with a huge increase in his workload due to sickness among colleagues, the other is bracing himself for a future working alone in an extensive parochial area, as a result of the departure of his colleague, who will not be replaced. 

Both were experienced senior professionals before ordination and made a healthy transition into their new clerical lifestyle, but the church is far from healthy, or capable of coping with the drastic changes that have resulted from loss of members and decline in numbers of fully trained pastors to support them in the challenges of mission and ministry. I'm certain they were both honestly aware of what they have taken on in faith, but that doesn't mean to say that the different demands aren't going to have unexpected impacts on them over time. 

Each diocese of the Church in Wales is working away at re-organising and re-structuring its offer of ministry to its unique social and geographical setting, and striving to get the faithful remnant behind the effort. My concern is for frenetically busy front line clergy, who in such a period of upheaval cannot help but feel less than cared for by those above them. 

It's another variant of complaints I heard in the diocese in Europe, about poor communications and responses from the centre, inferring lack of interest, in effect too little genuine pastoral oversight and leadership. People can be very good about supporting each other locally, until there are disagreements, conflicts of interest and so on, and if the cohering vision which motivated chaplaincy development begins to fade, things can start to fall apart.

I know what it is to work hard and flat out, to get tired enough to teeter on the edge of burnout, whether from having too much to do, or from coping with the insecurity of not knowing what to do next. Each can be as enervating as the other. Without the certainty of the annual family holiday over many years, I feel sure I would have broken under the strain eventually, and often I was a totally exhausted misery on holiday, barely able to enjoy being in wonderful places together with people I love most.

Now in retirement I have freedom to continue in ministry and control demands made on me in a way I never could do when licensed and obligated to a pastorate, being able to help out in all kinds of situations is a great joy and privilege, but is there more I could do to support those on the front line of the church's present crisis, and maybe help plug the communications gap, I wonder.