Church Worker Wellness
UV Rays and Ministry Days
Summer’s simplest ritual, applying sunscreen, turns out to be a pretty good picture of what it takes to stay well in ministry.
Summer gives church workers a rare gift: a season that invites us to slow down, breathe differently, and notice what our bodies and spirits have been trying to tell us. The long days, family trips, and warm evenings loosen the tightness of our usual routines. Yet summer also brings its own challenges: heat waves (anyone not feel this one yet?), dehydration (go get some water right now), and the ever-present need for sunscreen, especially for fair-haired folks like me. And that simple act of applying sunscreen offers a surprisingly rich metaphor for church worker wellness.
Sunscreen doesn’t change the sun. It creates a protective layer that allows us to remain in the light without being harmed by it.
Ministry works the same way. The calling is beautiful, holy, and deeply meaningful, but it exposes us to emotional strain, constant availability, and the slow erosion that comes from carrying others’ burdens. The light of ministry is good, but without protection, it can burn, causing physical or emotional pain as we heal.
Wellness practices function like sunscreen. They don’t remove the demands of ministry, but they create a buffer that keeps those demands from damaging the soul. Sabbath rhythms, healthy boundaries, peer support, exercise, hydration, and honest conversations with colleagues all form a protective layer. They allow church workers to stand fully in the brightness of their calling without being scorched by it.
Reapplying for the season ahead
Summer is the perfect time to reapply that protection. The calendars will fill soon enough, so take this opportunity to rebuild habits that shield your heart. Drink more water. Sit in the shade. Read something that isn’t for Sunday. Let prayer be slow again. Take a day off without guilt. And remember that wellness isn’t a one-time application; it’s a rhythm of stewardship.
God does not ask you to stand unshielded in the heat of ministry. He calls you to shine with the cool, steady radiance of Christ’s love, a light that lasts forever.
Our Southeastern District continues to encourage this kind of care because healthy church workers and their families create healthy congregations. As July stretches on, may every pastor, teacher, deaconess, musician, and staff member remember whose light they carry.
And just like sunscreen, your wellness practices come with simple instructions: apply generously, and reapply as needed.