First, the concerning news.
A survey of clergy in Wisconsin found that 25 percent of them have seriously considered resigning or retiring as a result of the stress they face doing ministry in the midst of this pandemic.
Then the hopeful news.
One of the possible responses that could help: regular collaboration among clergy to reduce their sense of isolation.
In the early days of the pandemic and the shut-downs – mid-to-late March – it was natural for clergy and congregations to turn inward and figure out how to adapt to a world that drastically limited in-person connections. Many found themselves in silos for survival. Then there was exhaustion. Now the need is there to find ways to sustain ministry in an extended period of limitations.