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Caring for Clergy Field Guide

 

Interested in participating in the survey?

 

Contributing vital resources and practical tools to the evolving field that cares for clergy 

The demands of ministry can be overwhelming. Thankfully, many clergy rely on a complex network of individuals and institutions for support.

Like Aaron and Hur who lifted the arms of Moses during battle (Ex. 17), these individuals and organizations care for clergy as denominational leaders, funders, pension, benefits, and insurance officers, frontline providers, and continuing educators. Although the work of clergy support has occurred for many years, these professional networks tend to be often segmented and siloed.

Project Details

Major Themes

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Organization

Descriptive Analysis

How is the field organized?

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Conceptualization

Theoretical Analysis

How do those in the field understand the field and their place in it?

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Activity

Practical Analysis

What is taking place in the field?

 

Endorsements

FAQs

What topics will be studied?

The Caring for Clergy Field guide examines the national clergy support network of funders, pension and benefits officers, denominational leaders, frontline providers, and continuing educators. The project has three main objectives: 1) to scan and map the field's main actors and trends, 2) to highlight the leading models, and 3) to identify the most pressing gaps and obstacles. When published, we hope that this resource might become an agenda setting manual for the field. 

The major audiences are frontline providers, benefits officers, funders, denominational officials, and continuing educators.

Who is conducting the survey?

A committed team from Duke Divinity School’s Ormond Center for Thriving Congregations and Communities is leading the Caring for Clergy Field Guide research effort along with a diverse group of advisors representing each of the field’s major subsectors. Learn more about the study and our research team here.

What is the project timeline?


Phase 1
Preparing

Spring 2021 
Developing survey and convening advisory board

Phase 4:
Publishing

2022
Publishing field guide and releasing our findings

Phase 2
Fielding

Summer 2021
Fielding survey and conducting initial analysis

Phase 5:
Distributing & Convening

The Future
Presenting and convening a National Conference

Phase 3
Writing

Fall 2021
Finalizing content and developing frameworks

Who will see the data?

Only our team of trained researchers will see the Caring for Clergy raw survey data. To protect the privacy of you and your organization, we will present our results in aggregate so that no information that you share could be compromised. We will never reveal any sensitive or compromising data about you or your organization without your consent.  

Why should I participate?

The health and well-being of clergy is complex and interconnected; however, services that support clergy health and well-being are often siloed by sector and theological tradition. A benefits officer may not be aware of the issues faced by a frontline provider. Or, a funder may not know about the gaps in coverage within denominational structures. 

We want to provide those who support the overall health and well-being of clergy with a manual (what we call a “field guide”) that helps make their work more effective, collaborative, and informed. Ultimately, we want to make a difference in the individual health and well-being of clergy and their families.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out directly to the study’s Principal Investigator, Rev. Thad Austin, PhD.

How can I participate?

We are grateful for your participation in this important study. Please take the survey via this link.

 

Our Team

Ormond Center Team

Partners



Thad Austin Strategic Initiatives and Congregational Engagement

Thad Austin
Strategic Initiatives and Congregational Engagement

Chris Elisara Field Guide Survey

Chris Elisara
Field Guide Survey

Katie Comeau
Post-Doctoral Fellow for Thriving Congregations


Advisory Committee

Chris Adams
Azusa Pacific University
Center for Vocational Ministry

Matt Bloom
University of Notre Dame

Barbara Boigegrain
Wespath Benefits and Investments

Melinda Contreras-Byrd
Author, Psychologist, Pastor

Andy Cook
Wheaton College Billy Graham Center

Jo Ann Deasy
Association of Theological Schools

Richard DeShon
Michigan State University
COETIC HR

David Eagle
Duke University

Richard Foss
Lilly Endowment

David Higle
Wesleyan Church

Cameron Lee
Fuller Theological Seminary

Jihyun Oh
PC(USA)

Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell
Duke University

Mark Robison
Brotherhood Mutual Insurance

David Wang
Biola University

Robert Webb
The Duke Endowment

Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Wesley Theological Seminary

Carl Weisner
Duke Divinity School

Manuela Casti Yeagley
University of Notre Dame 

 

Learn more about our project here.