Has the Covid-19 Era Left You Struggling?

By Teresa Roberts

I tend to be a fairly positive person, working hard to be the optimist and see the best of every circumstance, but looking back on the past few months, it’s challenging to be not get wrapped up in the disappointments.

Ministry has certainly not gone as we had originally planned. Sunday worship and ministry events have been cancelled. We miss the personal connection with our church members and friends. But through all of the frustrations and challenges, there are good things that have come from this period of pandemic. We just have to be the optimist and look hard.

One thing that developed from my initial time of quarantine is a greater focus on my personal spiritual growth. With nothing but time on my hands, I was determined to not let the time just slip away. I am thankful for the encouragement of our lead pastor, who from the beginning of quarantine began regular check-ins with our church staff and would ask, “How is it with your soul?” He led us through a short lesson (via Zoom, of course) on the various spiritual disciplines and suggested we use this time to explore some new ways of connecting with God.

Often ministry leaders are so focused on pouring into the faith development of others, we neglect our own personal time with God. Call it spiritual development, call it “quiet time”or daily devotions, it’s just as important as the weekly lessons we prepare for our church kids and families. Maybe it’s even more important.

We’ve all heard it said, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” We’ve all had to recreate the way we lead ministry and for many of us, that has actually led to more work hours as opposed to less. As we press onto maintain connection with our church families, as we redesign our lesson material to reach families at home, via social media and other virtual channels, I want to encourage you to be sure to make time for yourself and the nourishment for your own souls. I’m praying that you all have pitchers that are full, so that you can continue to pour healthy energy into your ministries.

Teresa Roberts

Teresa has 20 years of ministry experience and currently serves as Children's Ministry Director at Cornerstone Church in West Chester. She also serves as one of the Colocate Ministry Consulting Children's Ministry Network Coordinators. Teresa is married to Bob and has 3 amazing daughters. In June of this year she was promoted to "Grandma" and enjoys every moment she gets to spend with her sweet grandson, Theo.