Coaching on Care – October 2025 Featured COMma Article

Coaching on Care

Imagine these scenarios:

1. A pastor is in the midst of a divorce. It is not acrimonious, but it is taking a toll on them spiritually and in terms of time. The church wonders how best to support their pastor.
2. A chaplain is changing positions due to some new staffing priorities at a local hospital, where they are now relying on volunteers without CPE training for their spiritual care needs. The chaplain is worried about the level of care at the hospital as well as the perception that their expertise has been devalued.
3. A minister is approaching their long-planned retirement but has now expressed an interest in staying longer in the role since there do not seem to be many candidates interested in the interim position.
4. A minister is struck by a sudden injury or serious illness requiring some short- or medium-term care and support.

In each of these scenarios, there’s a significant change in the life of the authorized minister. While the presenting concern is not about the minister crossing ethical boundaries, there are some challenges they are facing. What role, if any, can the Committee on Ministry have in supporting these ministers in these tough seasons? Can they “coach on care”?

Many Committees on Ministry have their hands full in dealing with pre-authorization candidates (Members in Discernment as well as ordained clergy from other traditions), ongoing oversight matters (Information Reviews, periodic vocational discernment conversations, perhaps a fitness review), and even church relations (discussion of adoption of the Manual on Local Church, implementing some best practices). But care for ministers in the midst of life changes is also part of the scope of work for all our Committees on Ministry, who are committed to the health and flourishing of the ministries within its bounds.

These concerns or challenges may come to the awareness of the COM in different ways. Perhaps the minister or ministry setting will reach out directly in need of some sort of support. They might reach out to the COM, but it’s also common for a Conference or Association staff member may learn of a significant life change and ask the COM to respond formally or informally. Very often, people don’t know what they need in this situation, they just know they can’t or don’t want to face it alone!

Responses to these situations can take a variety of forms. Perhaps two or three representatives of the Committee on Ministry can reach out to offer direct support, or a member of the COM who has a warm relationship with the minister or ministry setting can reach out, being clear that they are doing so both as a colleague and a COM member. Professional coaching – for the minister or the ministry setting – might be appropriate. (The Association might even subsidize a few sessions, if they are able to do so.) A Situational Support Consultation might be appropriate to help guide the partners in the covenant towards appropriate and useful support. Or the Conference or Association staff member may offer pastoral support, and provide an appropriate status update to the COM. Maybe all that is needed is to amplify other types of support that have already been activated, such as a Meal Train or visitation schedule, or to encourage a minister to reach out to their already existing support systems. Proactively, Periodic Vocational Support conversations and boundary trainings are excellent opportunities to remind ministers that tending to their support systems is critically important because life for pastors is like life for everyone: sometimes it gets complicated.

The role of the Committee on Ministry is not to solve the problem, but to support, guide, and facilitate the minister and ministry setting towards health and growth. Often, being present and bearing witness to moments of change is the best help of all – and Committees on Ministry are uniquely equipped to do so.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What’s a life change you experienced where you would have appreciated some extra support?
2. What other sorts of support and coaching can you imagine would be helpful for ministers going through changes?
3. What other resources would your COM welcome in order to more effectively support its ministers?