Clergy Spouse / Family Resources
Supporting clergy wellness means supporting clergy families, and creating opportunities for relationship-building and connection.
Wespath HealthFlex
If your clergyperson has insurance through Wespath’s HealthFlex, you are eligible to receive confidential counseling and support through Wespath’s Employee Assistance Program. All members of the clergy person’s family or household – including those not covered by Wespath’s HealthFlex insurance – have access to eight free sessions per concern per year.
HOW TO GET HELP: Services are confidential. Annual conferences and employers will not know if you choose to use the EAP. Call Optum Health directly at 1-866-881-6800, or log in to the Personify Health app.
HOW TO GET HELP: Services are confidential. Annual conferences and employers will not know if you choose to use the EAP. Call Optum Health directly at 1-866-881-6800, or log in to the Personify Health app.
Methodist LeBonheur Employee Assistance Program
Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare offers employee assistant program (EAP) services to all clergy and appointed supply pastors – and their families--who do not have insurance through Wespath HealthFlex. This plan covers individuals under appointment who have waived healthcare coverage, those who are not eligible for health benefits, and retirees, as well as members of their household, offering eight free sessions per concern per year.
HOW TO GET HELP: To access services, call 800-880-5658.
HOW TO GET HELP: To access services, call 800-880-5658.
Clergy Spouse Fellowship
This Fellowship is open to people whose spouse is listed as clergy with the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference, this is the Spouses equivalent of the Ministerial Fellowship. Requests for information or to join can be sent to Becky Wade at clergyspousestwkc@gmail.com
Family Sabbath Retreat
Clergy families from across the TWK are
invited to Cedar Crest Camp the weekend prior to the start of Advent for our annual FIRELIGHT WEEKEND, a Sabbath Retreat just for TWK clergy families. Connect with other clergy families during this time of fellowship and play.
Annual Conference Day Camp
Participating in the day camp
offered at Annual Conference has become one significant way children of clergy
– as well as their families—are building relationships with one another. Be sure to
follow the Annual Conference information page for information as to how to
register.
Spiritual Directors
Spiritual direction is a ministry of “holy listening” designed to help individuals discern God’s presence and action in their daily lives. The individuals linked here responded to an inquiry that simply requested contact information for those offering spiritual direction to folks in the geographical area of our Conference.
Spiritual Leave Policy
United Methodist 2020/2024 Book of Discipline (¶351.3)
A clergy member may request a formational and spiritual growth leave of up to six months while continuing to hold an appointment in the local church. Such leaves are available to clergy members who have held full-time appointments for at least six years. Such a leave shall be with the approval of the committee on pastor-parish relations, the church council, and the district superintendent. Annual conferences are encouraged to assist with pulpit supply and other temporary support for such leaves.
A clergy member may request a formational and spiritual growth leave of up to six months while continuing to hold an appointment in the local church. Such leaves are available to clergy members who have held full-time appointments for at least six years. Such a leave shall be with the approval of the committee on pastor-parish relations, the church council, and the district superintendent. Annual conferences are encouraged to assist with pulpit supply and other temporary support for such leaves.
TWK Vacation Policy
The TWK Clergy Vacation Policy grants full-time clergy four weeks of vacation (including 4 Sundays) and part-time clergy two weeks, with continuing education and official church events not counting against this time. Clergy should also receive two days off weekly, and the policy references additional provisions for parental and sick leave.
Ministerial Fellowship of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference
The Ministerial Fellowship of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference is a voluntary organization of active and retired clergy of all three orders who provide support to our widows and widowers at the point of death. For more information, contact the president Rev. Melisa Derseweh at melisa.derseweh@twkumc.org
Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
Dr. Becky Kennedy, wildly popular parenting expert and creator of @drbeckyatgoodinside, shares her groundbreaking approach to raising kids and offers practical strategies for parenting in a way that feels good.
Think:Kids
Think:Kids, a program within the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, promotes the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach, which is built on the philosophy that children with behavioral challenges lack the skills — not the will — to behave well, and offers research-backed training for parents, schools, and clinicians to reduce challenging behavior while building stronger relationships.
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An urgently needed guide to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support teens through this critical developmental stage—from the author of Untangled and Under Pressure