Eric, I stumbled upon this article after you shared your substack today. I am grateful for you putting many of these thoughts and experiences into words ...something that is palpable to those of us in the field but isn't usually talked about like you said. The two questions that struck me:
"What if we took account of the cost of doing this work in this time, and spoke honestly about it? "
This gets me wondering about the possibility of finding and training church death doulas or church hospice chaplains who are able to tend to the moral stress, moral injury, and compassion fatigue/vicarious trauma. What if as churches moved towards Holy Closure or venturing into the unknown, there were people accompanying them through this grief and death cycle?
"What would it be like to build something, instead of managing decline until there’s nothing left?"
And then this question gets the creative part of me thinking, what if we surrendered to the decline instead of managing it? would we find enough significant remnants that we could repurpose and build something with? Would we find enough driftwood on the beach, after our buildings give way to the rising tides, to start giving some structure to a driftwood fort?
A local church was tearing out its 100 year old floor, someone there was a furniture maker and made them a table out of the old flooring. Kind of like this - what if we let what needed to fall away, fall away and see how Spirit emerges among the remnants. What if we put the paint cans and brushes down?
All of this is of course easier said than done as you poignantly put words to...
Excellent article Eric! Although I no longer face the stress of doing ministry, or not, each day, there is not a day that passes that I do not think about those who are.
Thanks, Eric! Chimes with what I and so many parish clergy are experiencing. It’s a maelstrom in American churches that I know some have not survived and that will leave no church untouched.
Great piece Eric. Amazing insight. Moral injury in my soul is ever present. Church is too much, it’s a peaceful spiritual place but it represents too much for too long. Church is not in our building it’s in our community. The things I do to fill my cup are about others in need. It’s what makes me whole. Thank you for your meaningful words. They helped me when I needed it most.
LaForet may be the best place for spiritual renewal and it has so many possibilities for our faith and spirit.
Eric, I stumbled upon this article after you shared your substack today. I am grateful for you putting many of these thoughts and experiences into words ...something that is palpable to those of us in the field but isn't usually talked about like you said. The two questions that struck me:
"What if we took account of the cost of doing this work in this time, and spoke honestly about it? "
This gets me wondering about the possibility of finding and training church death doulas or church hospice chaplains who are able to tend to the moral stress, moral injury, and compassion fatigue/vicarious trauma. What if as churches moved towards Holy Closure or venturing into the unknown, there were people accompanying them through this grief and death cycle?
"What would it be like to build something, instead of managing decline until there’s nothing left?"
And then this question gets the creative part of me thinking, what if we surrendered to the decline instead of managing it? would we find enough significant remnants that we could repurpose and build something with? Would we find enough driftwood on the beach, after our buildings give way to the rising tides, to start giving some structure to a driftwood fort?
A local church was tearing out its 100 year old floor, someone there was a furniture maker and made them a table out of the old flooring. Kind of like this - what if we let what needed to fall away, fall away and see how Spirit emerges among the remnants. What if we put the paint cans and brushes down?
All of this is of course easier said than done as you poignantly put words to...
Excellent article Eric! Although I no longer face the stress of doing ministry, or not, each day, there is not a day that passes that I do not think about those who are.
Thanks, Eric! Chimes with what I and so many parish clergy are experiencing. It’s a maelstrom in American churches that I know some have not survived and that will leave no church untouched.
Great piece Eric. Amazing insight. Moral injury in my soul is ever present. Church is too much, it’s a peaceful spiritual place but it represents too much for too long. Church is not in our building it’s in our community. The things I do to fill my cup are about others in need. It’s what makes me whole. Thank you for your meaningful words. They helped me when I needed it most.
LaForet may be the best place for spiritual renewal and it has so many possibilities for our faith and spirit.