Being clear about your vocational identity, as a pastor, can be a challenge even in your later career. After all, the church changes. Expectations change. And you change!
And then there’s the approaching conclusion of your full time ministry in the form of your upcoming retirement. That alone has a way of recalibrating your hopes, dreams, and goals. As your retirement time horizon gets closer you make adjustments to your priorities, your aspirations, and even to your self-perception.
If you are thinking about any of these things then we invite you into a conversation about what it is like to be a pastor in “later career”, someone who is trying to survive and thrive while getting older, looking ahead to the good work of finishing well. This element of Thrive’s “Thriving Together” grant work will include:
Gatherings:
These gatherings will give attention to pastors who are in the later stages of their personal ministry or for those who are shepherding a congregation through a closure. We anticipate facilitating one 'Finishing Well' gathering per year with 8-12 participants each.
Mentoring Group Grants:
Grants of up to $5,000 USD are available to fund groups of six to eight ordained CRC pastors (Minister of the Word or Commissioned) plus a facilitator, who desire to gather together to learn from each other while fostering health in their ministry, lives, wellbeing, and relationships.
Resources:
A training tool called "Retirement from Pastoral Ministry" The training tool has links to various helps for pastors related to retirement finances, scheduling, identity and purpose, and the work of saying “Goodbye”. We've also created the following video focused on later career transitions that has been created for anyone interested: mentors, regional pastors, transitioning pastors, church councils, etc.