“Ministry can be never-ending and consume us and our time,” says Rev. Dr. Christine O’Reilly. “I have made plenty of mistakes, and am very much a learner in the area of rest and balance.”
Having been a single parent for 17 years and a minister for 21, O’Reilly knows the value of rejuvenation – a theme which she recently addressed as plenary speaker for the Heart, Mind and Soul Conference, a retreat for female lay persons and clergy at Presbyterian College, Montreal, in late May.
“I have had times of discouragement, times of fatigue, times of uncertainty and wondering about where God was calling,” O’Reilly told the Record. “The times of real exhaustion have come when I have not been grounded and centered in prayer, silence, scripture reading and reflection. This also comes in times when I have taken on too much, when I am trying to run on my own strength, and not taking care spiritually and physically.”
Pastors, says O’Reilly, often confuse human need with the call of God. “To not have a ‘boss’ to report to, a work day with set hours, and the kind of work that in many ways is never really finished: there is always another sermon to write, visit to make, meeting to attend or study to lead.”
O’Reilly has created a sacred space in her backyard to which she retreats daily. “With just a few symbols, a place to sit, and my Bible and journal, I spend time there in solitude almost every day (daily is my goal), praying, reading scripture and listening.”
The minister at Knox, Thedford, Ont., and St. Andrew’s, Watford, Ont. also has a spiritual director as well as two support/accountability groups which keep her focused. One group is comprised of ministers who gather for worship and Bible Study; the other is a small gathering of trusted lay leaders “who meet periodically to offer their insights and perspective, and help me evaluate priorities, outside invitations and balance in ministry and personal life.”
Heart, Mind and Soul was organized by Women in Ministry, a committee of Ministry and Work Relations.
Geared at rejuvenating and refreshing women involved in the Presbyterian Church, the conference was a two-year process, spearheaded by Dara Thompson Goulet, a student representative of WIM.
Funding was received from WIM and grants from both the Women’s Missionary Society and the Experimental Fund. Workshops dealt with hobbies, stress, yoga, money and ministry, the importance of Sabbath keeping, how to set boundaries and issues of loneliness and isolation – each of which resonated with the women gathered from six provinces.
“I applaud the designers, supporters and leaders of this conference and the Women in Ministry committee, for the vision, dedication and perseverance in shaping and holding the conference,” O’Reilly says. “Conferences like this one are important – not only for women in leadership, but all who serve leadership positions.
“I hope women went away with a fresh look at how Jesus is working in their lives. I also hope they regain strength, vision and assurance of God’s love which empowers us in all our ministries, no matter what they may be.”
