June 2017
A life in ministry can be filled with tremendous joy. It can also be demanding and stressful. A church worker’s self-care begins with the sensitivity to first recognize the brokenness all experience in life with God, life in community with others and life in ministry service—and then to seek the Lord’s restorative grace.
A Grace Place Wellness retreat is being offered in the district to equip church workers with simple tools for self-assessment of wellness and suggest strategies for receiving God’s healing touch of renewal.
Grace Place Wellness nurtures vitality and joy in ministry by inspiring and equipping church workers in LCMS congregations and schools to lead healthy lives.
The retreat is being organized by the Concordia-Chicago DCE program, the NID Parish Professionals network, and the Northern Illinois District. It is for all commissioned and ordained workers, as well as ministry staff that are non-rostered or are highly engaged volunteers.
The retreat will be held on Thursday, September 21, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 11500 German Church Road, Burr Ridge, Illinois, 60527. The retreat will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and lunch will be included. Registration is $20 for the first participant from a congregation and $15 for each additional.
Facilitator for the Grace Place Wellness retreat in the NID is Rev. Dr. Darrell Zimmerman, who spent 30 years as a parish pastor in the LCMS, sometimes just surviving, he says, but often thriving in ministry.
Zimmerman has been serving as program director and leading Grace Place Wellness retreats since 2012. He and his wife, Carol, have three children and three grandchildren and live in St Louis near all of their family.
Registration forms are available at nidlcms.org (look for the notice on the home page). Registration and payment should be returned to the district office by September 11. Please direct questions to Debra.Arfsten@CUChicago.edu.