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| Ron Brown |
The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived. — Søren Kierkegaard
As I reflect on my ministry with and among the clergy of the Connecticut Conference over the past year I experience the truth of Kierkegaard’s words. Pastoral ministry at its best is a living adventure that happens where life intersects faith. I continue to be in awe of the commitment and skill of the authorized ministers in the Connecticut Conference—some of the brightest and best in the whole United Church of Christ.
My work this year has focused on two areas: pastoral support of authorized ministers and maintaining programs that sustain their work. In addition to many pastoral conversations I’ve had with pastors and other ministers, we continue to offer and expand the United Church Clergy Assistance Service. Through the CAS pastors may schedule three sessions of consultation with Dr. Ron Casey to help determine the most appropriate way to address the personal or interpersonal issues they face. This year we will expand the program to include the spouses or partners of pastors as well. After the initial three sessions, Dr Casey is able to present referral options for those who wish to pursue additional therapeutic work.
In addition to my pastoral work, I also work behind the scenes to support the ministry of the clergy in our Conference. The work of the Committees on the Ministry of our 15 Associations is a key component of clergy support. I give staff support to the Conference Committee on the Ministry (consisting of a representative from each Association and a member of the Committee on Interim Ministry), and have led training sessions for many of the Association COMs. I work with the Regional Ministers to be sure the search and call process runs smoothly and to ensure that our talented pool of interim ministers receives support and placement assistance.
In the coming year I hope to focus more attention on encouraging and supporting clergy support networks and to help foster and deepen connections among the authorized ministers in the Connecticut Conference. To borrow Kierkegaard’s thought, the highest and most beautiful things in ministry are those that we live. The office of Clergy Concerns exists to support pastors in the living adventure of their ministries.
