“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” 

The pitfalls of ministry are many and various and when the going gets tough there is almost always a personal cost both to ourselves and those amongst whom our lives are set. 

The Apostle’s frustration is rooted in an honest self-understanding, a recognition that alone we will adopt unhealthy or misconceived ways of living that take us away from the person God yearns for us to be.

Wellbeing is not an add-on. 

Wellbeing is not an optional extra for those who have the time. 

Wellbeing is not a matter for people less busy than us. 

Wellbeing is a Gospel value, for it is about choosing to be the person God intends, indeed yearns for us to be… to have life and life in all its fullness. 

Taking wellbeing seriously is a non-negotiable part of our ministerial lives if we are to flourish as God’s people and for those who have made ordination vows, live them out with integrity.

You will hopefully find resources here to help you do that. 

They are intentionally diverse, as not everything will speak to everyone and they are not the solution to anyone’s problems in themselves, but a starting point offered to help each of us in our different contexts take responsibility for our own wellbeing.

Get in touch

These pages are constantly under review, so that we may all receive assistance and appropriate advice in a quickly changing ministerial environment.

We welcome your feedback. If there is information missing from these pages that you or others may find helpful, please contact and let us know: julie.fowler@derby.anglican.org | 01332 278172.

The Clergy Wellbeing Advisory Team
January 2024