Cornerstones
11 The Israelites out-fought the Amalekites as long as Moses held up his arms, but they started losing whenever he lowered them. 12 After a while, his arms were so tired that Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. Then they stood beside him and supported his arms in the same position until sunset. (Exodus 17: 11-12, CEV)
What is Cornerstones?
Cornerstones, a pilot project of Ministerial Relief and Assistance, will launch at The Gathering, a retreat for pastors, September 3-5, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Our hope is that the Cornerstones experience will provide clergy support and presence, just as Aaron and Hur did for Moses, holding up his arms when he grew tired, assuring him he was not alone in his ministry and leadership
Cornerstones is rooted in, and expands upon, the work of Excellence in Ministry (EIM), a financial empowerment program for clergy in their first five years of full-time ministry that Pension Fund was fortunate to offer with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc. EIM taught us that financial well-being for clergy is only one area of well-being where clergy need support. So as we launch the pilot project of Cornerstones, we will focus on three key areas of well-being, all of them undergirded by intentional “holy friendships,” cohorts of support, and authentic relationships. Each area of well-being will include resources and tools, as well as grant opportunities to support clergy in that area of wellness.
Clergy who come to The Gathering will be able to learn more about each track, and then in the immediate weeks following the event, will be able to sign up for an 18-month journey through one of the areas of wellness.
Key Areas of Well-Being
Financial Well-Being
Our Financial Well-being cohort will focus on improving your financial health via an in-depth dive into what it means to manage your finances well. Opportunities in this cohort include:
- Your Money Line (YML) – comprehensive financial coaching and support from financial guides who work with clergy, and who understand the various contexts of Disciples clergy. This will include required regular meetings with the YML financial guides for an assessment of your financial well-being and a plan of action – YML will be alerted to participation requirements.
- Required webinars with subject matter experts on financial issues for clergy, including clergy taxes, and congregational stewardship issue
- Reading material as assigned (2-3 books) for cohort discussion and practical application.
- 18-month cohort commitment for support, accountability, and connection with others on the journey.
Physical Well-Being
Our Physical Well-being cohort will encompass opportunities for clergy to focus on physical health benefits with the support of their cohort members. Opportunities in this cohort include:
- Financial support for gym memberships and/or equipment or for an online wellness subscription for clergy in rural areas where gym access is not available.
- Online fitness group with a trainer who understands the challenges of clergy life.
- Nutrition counseling referrals to help learn more about how to make food choices that are beneficial to your physical well-being goals.
- 18-month cohort commitment for support, accountability, and connection with others on the journey.
Mental Well-Being
Our Mental Well-being cohort will allow our clergy members to focus on their mental health in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Opportunities in this cohort include:
- Opportunity to partner with Root Cause Collective in a whole-body approach to well-being, centered on relationship and spirituality.
- Referrals and financial support for clergy-friendly therapists in your geographic area or spiritual direction.
- Grants to support counseling, especially when insurance is not available or accepted.
- 18-month cohort commitment for support, accountability, and connection with others on the journey.
We also encourage those who choose this area of wellness to explore, if they are not already, the tools Learn to Live has to offer. Learn to Live is an online mental wellness partner that offers one-on-one mental health coaching, 24/7 access to mental wellness tools, and programs for targeted mental health improvement.
Our Cohort Groups
Each area of wellness will include cohort groups that will be required to meet regularly for support and accountability; these groups will be the heart of our holy friendship work. Each group will be run by trained facilitators and will be rooted in the belief that we are stronger, better, and more effective in ministry when we lean into real relationships with one another. We anticipate options for chosen affinity groups, such as an all-women’s group, or perhaps a group for divorced clergy, clergy of color, or clergy who are all single parents. The affinity options for cohorts are many, and we will welcome participants’ suggestions. Participants can also, of course, just be a part of a group with no identified affinity other than their common wellness area.
Our Partners
We are grateful to Rev. Dr. Thad Austin’s work in “Caring for Clergy: Understanding a Disconnected Network of Providers”, and Rev. Dr. Victoria Atkinson White’s work in “Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships that Sustain Pastors and Leaders.” We are excited to welcome both Thad and Victoria to The Gathering as keynoters and look forward to learning from them directly. The Gathering participants will all receive a copy of “Holy Friendships,” as we envision holy friendships being the main foundation of support in uplifting pastors as they tend to their personal well-being.
We are also grateful to Bethany Fellows, Your Money Line, Learn to Live, and Root Cause Collective, each of whom are doing incredible work in these areas of wellness and who have agreed to partner with Pension Fund in the work of Cornerstones.
And, we are grateful for our Ministerial Relief and Assistance donors, without whom this project would not be possible. If you want to donate to support Cornerstones, please reach out to AVP of Development Rev. Geoff Brewster, at gbrewster@pensionfund.org or click on the Give Online button below.
