Rachel Boehm Van Harmelen
June 2005
Rev. Tony Meyer is pastor of Ivanrest CRC in Grandville, Michigan. He and five other pastors from western and northern Michigan, all in their early years of parish ministry, felt the need for greater peer support. The result was a peer learning group funded through the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program and Lilly Endowment Inc. Their group chose the unusual name “Eyes Wide Open”—with good reason. “That was chosen because too many pastors in their early ministry go into it with their eyes shut and end up in very painful situations—painful for them, their families and the church,” says Meyer. Instead, he and his peers want their eyes wide open—to both the challenges and joys of parish ministry.
Meyer’s group is unique in that it involves pastors and their spouses in every aspect of the group. “We recognized that ministry affects spouses and families either directly or indirectly,” says Meyer, “and we felt that including spouses in this process would be extremely valuable.” The group enriches the marriages of pastoral couples, Meyer explains, by giving them a greater understanding of each other and the aspects of ministry that can put stress on families and relationships.
Meyer says the group has had many direct benefits for pastors, their families and their churches. “Iron sharpens iron,” says Meyer. “There is encouragement, support and learning to be had from each other in a safe environment.” That’s why Meyer encourages other pastors to join a peer learning group. “Often we feel threatened into being lone-ranger ministers,” he explains. “That is a recipe for disaster.”
Geographical distance and busy schedules may make it tempting to opt out, but Meyer says those who experience the benefits of peer learning won’t ever want to go it alone again. “Now I’m seeing many of the things I learned in the group play out in my leadership in my church,” says Meyer. “I’m a much healthier leader because of this group!”
