If I took a poll of pastors and professional church workers and asked them what is the most exhausting week of the year for them, I would venture to say that the two top answers would be Holy Week and Vacation Bible School. Having just traveled through Holy Week, many of us are exhausted and in dire need of some rest to recharge our bodies and minds. Some may think that the church will fall apart if you take a few days off or plan a short trip that allows some time away. I get it — we are church workers, and we are on 24/7/365. While that is true to a point, we must be proactive in planning time away that allows us some mental “down-time.”

I have been replanting a church that hasn’t worshiped in close to five years. This last year has been full of trials, stressors, and victories. I have been continually exhausted, and it just keeps coming. So, what do I do for rest? Well, I have a hobby that gives me great relief. I wrote a blog similar to this a year or so ago, but I promise that I am headed toward a completely different conclusion. Some people like fishing or hiking because of the serenity and peace that these hobbies offer. Others just want a couple of days surrounded by family. And there are also many of you who want to enjoy things that require zero exerted effort — things like binge-watching the latest series on Netflix or another streaming platform. Maybe it is playing a video game or even getting lost in a novel from your favorite author. These are all wonderful possibilities that may work well for others to have some mental “down-time.”

For me, my release is playing the drums. I get a taste of that in worship because I am currently playing (we have not yet found a drummer for our praise team), but that makes a service even more stressful, trying to orchestrate a service that doesn’t include a lot of awkward gaps while I am moving from one place to another. True stress relief, where I can close my eyes and let muscle memory take over, is when I am playing in front of a crowd. I have played with the same band for over 25 years. We were all in the Air Force together at Andrews AFB in Maryland. Although we live all over the country, we get together once a year to play in our friend’s venue in Cocoa Beach, Florida. We get to see old friends from our military days (people who have retired and moved to Florida) and we get to play live music in front of a crowd. I always try to schedule this trip shortly after Holy Week, because that is when my batteries are approaching empty. This is how I have found my re-energizing moments over the last many years.

Although it is much different than those of you who find peace on a lake or on a mountain, the “noise” brings me peace. It is different for every one of us. The challenge is to find what brings you joy and rest. That sometimes requires some soul-searching. But YOU ARE WORTH IT! Find where you can get some refreshment for your bodies and souls. Find what lets you take that big breath and allows you to exhale, re-energize, and help you re-engage your life as a professional church worker. God wants us to rest… we should really take that in. I pray you are tuned in enough to your body to know when rest is needed. In prayer, you will find that place.

Rev. Gary R. Pomrenke
Chesterfield, VA

Originally from Upper Michigan, Pastor Pomrenke spent 25 years in the United States Air Force before becoming an LCMS pastor. In addition to pastoring New Hope Lutheran Church in Chesterfield, VA, he holds an MA in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University.