A challenge that comes with working in a church is finding time for reflection and prayer. Paul says that people who teach within the church are held to a higher moral standard. I think that also means that people who teach within the church need to be intentional about taking opportunities to grow and learn, to find people to invest in them.
A few weeks ago my pastor put a newsletter on my desk that I didn't read. I picked it up today and started reading through it. It's from a teaching ministry in North Manchester called Hope CSA that offers a course on experiential learning and academic study through the context of a small diversified farm. They focus on both theology and ecology. Essentially, those who participate learn about God through His creation -- through farming, and gardening, and study.
They are offering a mini-session this year that meets once a month for four months and only costs $10 a month. I think I'm going to do it.
I've always wanted to learn how to garden. There is something special and meaningful about eating food you have planted and nurtured. There is something spiritual about being so intimately connected with the things that you consume. Maybe this will be an opportunity for me to learn more about that.
Here is what the back of their newsletter tells me:
The mission of HOPE CSA, Inc. is to provide a ministry of continuing education and vocational renewal to clergy and other church leaders, using the resources of the Christian faith and of Creation in the context of a small, diversified family farm.
The purpose of this ministry is to teach clergy and other church leaders new ways of thinking and function as leaders living in interlocking family, congregational, collegial and natural systems.
The goal of this hands-on teaching ministry is to promote the well-being, and leadership skills of glergy and other church leaders by promoting "holy health," which is health in all seven dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, environmental, and spiritual.
The vision of this ministry is to involve clergy and other church leaders in the natural "household" of a healthy, small, diversified family farm as a natural system that functions according to the same natural process as their family, congregation, and collegial systems. As clergy are led to function healthily in the natural system of the farm and are guided to reflect on the natural processes that work toward life and health in that setting, they are instructed and shaped to function healthily in their other systems as well.
The purpose of this ministry is to teach clergy and other church leaders new ways of thinking and function as leaders living in interlocking family, congregational, collegial and natural systems.
The goal of this hands-on teaching ministry is to promote the well-being, and leadership skills of glergy and other church leaders by promoting "holy health," which is health in all seven dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, vocational, environmental, and spiritual.
The vision of this ministry is to involve clergy and other church leaders in the natural "household" of a healthy, small, diversified family farm as a natural system that functions according to the same natural process as their family, congregation, and collegial systems. As clergy are led to function healthily in the natural system of the farm and are guided to reflect on the natural processes that work toward life and health in that setting, they are instructed and shaped to function healthily in their other systems as well.
What do you all think?
1 comment:
I think it's a great idea to strive for physical health and partake in the environment, particularly as Americans because by and large, American food isn't real and as such isn't the healthiest variety available. I don't think it's possible on a wide scale because we don't have the land for it anymore, but we weren't meant to live on preservatives and artificial sweeteners. The retreat would be a great learning experience; I completely agree with where you take Paul's notions of leadership. Keep learning.
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