New Year's Resolution
Perhaps it is a bit cliché, but after much thought, I think my New Year’s Resolution is… drum-roll please… HEALTH. I feel like my time in pastoral ministry has been marred by unhealthy living. Noticing the looks of the pastors around me, I am not alone! However, I want to improve my health in a variety of areas this year. Here are some of them.
1) The obvious one is physical health. I have always been an active person. I have always been involved with sports. I like to think I have stayed in decent shape. In High School, sports. In college, intramurals. At seminary, just being a youth pastor tends to keep you active. But being a pastor, a year and a half of lunch meetings, desk sitting, and lots of stress have left me feeling lazy and out of shape. I hate running. I have not found any rec leagues I can join. I think I am going to try and dust off my bike. I am going to try and ride 5 days a week. Outside if the weather permits, and maybe I’ll find a cheap stationary I can ride when its miserable outside.
2) The next noticeable is my mental health. I feel like I am getting dumb. I don’t feel like I read or write nearly as much as I’d like (sermons don’t count!). So, I have a plan. This is going to be the year of Wesley. I am going to try to read one sermon, letter or journal entry per week. I am also going to try and read about Wesley in book and in my WTS journals. Additionally, I am going to write. I am going to write a brief article each week about something the church celebrates each week. Perhaps an event (like the incarnation, the epiphany, the resurrection, etc) or perhaps a person (like an apostle, a saint, or any other significant hero of the faith). You can watch for those here or at torontoinfocus.com/religion. Finally, I am going to assign myself a writing project. I am going to try and write a scholarly article about the influence of the liturgy of the Church of England on the shaping of Wesley’s doctrine of Christian Perfection. I don’t know what I’ll find, but it will be fun… I think.
By the way, did you know that to be in one of Wesley’s small groups you must agree to three things: (1) always do good; (2) never do bad; (3) regularly attend the means of grace!
3) I want to get spiritually fit. I miss midweek Eucharist at St. Peter’s Episcopal on Red Bridge Road. But there are no midweek Eucharists here. So, my goal for spiritual health is (1) find a spiritual director; (2) find an accountability partner; (3) pray Morning Prayer from the Daily Office of the Book of Common Prayer each morning when I first get to the office and then pray Evening Prayer when I last leave the office.
Health is an important thing, but man is it exhausting just thinking about getting back in shape!
Merry Christmas,
EF
1) The obvious one is physical health. I have always been an active person. I have always been involved with sports. I like to think I have stayed in decent shape. In High School, sports. In college, intramurals. At seminary, just being a youth pastor tends to keep you active. But being a pastor, a year and a half of lunch meetings, desk sitting, and lots of stress have left me feeling lazy and out of shape. I hate running. I have not found any rec leagues I can join. I think I am going to try and dust off my bike. I am going to try and ride 5 days a week. Outside if the weather permits, and maybe I’ll find a cheap stationary I can ride when its miserable outside.
2) The next noticeable is my mental health. I feel like I am getting dumb. I don’t feel like I read or write nearly as much as I’d like (sermons don’t count!). So, I have a plan. This is going to be the year of Wesley. I am going to try to read one sermon, letter or journal entry per week. I am also going to try and read about Wesley in book and in my WTS journals. Additionally, I am going to write. I am going to write a brief article each week about something the church celebrates each week. Perhaps an event (like the incarnation, the epiphany, the resurrection, etc) or perhaps a person (like an apostle, a saint, or any other significant hero of the faith). You can watch for those here or at torontoinfocus.com/religion. Finally, I am going to assign myself a writing project. I am going to try and write a scholarly article about the influence of the liturgy of the Church of England on the shaping of Wesley’s doctrine of Christian Perfection. I don’t know what I’ll find, but it will be fun… I think. By the way, did you know that to be in one of Wesley’s small groups you must agree to three things: (1) always do good; (2) never do bad; (3) regularly attend the means of grace!
3) I want to get spiritually fit. I miss midweek Eucharist at St. Peter’s Episcopal on Red Bridge Road. But there are no midweek Eucharists here. So, my goal for spiritual health is (1) find a spiritual director; (2) find an accountability partner; (3) pray Morning Prayer from the Daily Office of the Book of Common Prayer each morning when I first get to the office and then pray Evening Prayer when I last leave the office. Health is an important thing, but man is it exhausting just thinking about getting back in shape!
Merry Christmas,
EF
posted by EF + at 4:46 PM
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