Dear Friends,

For today’s update, , , has shared a reflection about the importance of self care as we approach Holy Week:

One recent request I received was to fill in a questionnaire about clergy morale in the current crisis. Having spoken and listened to far more clergy than usual over the past few weeks I felt in a reasonable position to respond, and my basic response was that clergy morale was high, in fact, really very high.

It has been immensely encouraging and often inspiring to hear of the creativity, ingenuity and sheer dedication with which clergy have adapted to a rapidly changing situation and adopted often unfamiliar ways and means of continuing their ministry.

However, I wonder what the real effect of this adaption and adoption is? One person I spoke to said how ‘energised’ they felt by the new skills they were learning and by the community networks they were establishing; in the next phone call the person had been doing similar things but this time I heard a confession of exhaustion. Clearly different personalities are responding in different ways; another person in one breath said how as an introvert they certainly weren’t missing the tyranny of meetings but in the next added that they were finding the constant phone calls draining.

Talking with colleagues we are finding that as clergy step up and respond with great faithfulness to our calling in these days, the suspension of so many of the familiar patterns is leading for some to suspending some of the usual time off and down time we all need.

Whether energised or exhausted by the new, the different, the opportunities and challenges, there remains a calling to self-care. For many that will be alongside a duty of care to family as well. We need to re-fill our spiritual wells, to rest awhile with God and to actually just do something else.

So we hope you have a good Holy Week, deeply walking the way of Christ and serving those you have been called to serve in whatever ways you can. We trust also that you ensure a post-Easter break of some kind. There are diocesan and national resources for Sundays and weekdays, you do not have to provide it all; make some space, take some time, be restored for the times ahead.

With our prayers for you all, Bishop Tim, Bishop David and Bishop Debbie

And the Bishop’s Staff Team: Andrew Robinson, Diocesan Chief Executive , , Archdeacon of Bournemouth Richard Brand, Archdeacon of Winchester Mat Phipps, Bishop’s Chaplain

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