Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day.”
Exodus 16:4
Living through a pandemic is very much a wilderness experience, and for the past eight months, pastors have been called upon to help their communities navigate the pain and loss of this season. Clergy, like Moses, are holding space for the people around them as the world dreams of life on the other side. But who’s holding space for clergy? Where are pastors finding manna in this pandemic wilderness?
The Center for Leadership Excellence teamed up with the Rev. Lisa Yebuah to host a 3-session soul-tending platform for pastors to name and even grieve the realities of clergy life during these stressful times, while also acquiring spiritual practices to buoy their hope.
- Session 1: Naming the Wilderness
- Session 2: Naming the Loss
- Session 3: Naming Your Enough
All sessions have been recorded, so you can complete them on your own schedule!
Hear what pastors who have already completed Manna have to say about this experience…
- I appreciated the versatility of Manna … it was easy to use and very well done.
- Participating in Manna “enhanced my mindfulness based stress reduction techniques.”
- I truly appreciated this attentiveness to our well-being at this time.
- Our group conversation and reflections were very uplifting and fruitful with deep sharing. It bonded us together in stronger ways!
- It was great to work with our existing Covenant Group and have a rhythm and structure to follow.
- It was indeed “manna for the soul”!
Want to learn more? Watch this 3-minute video created to introduce the sessions to pastors who have registered.
Registration is $20. If the cost to participate is a barrier, please email Leah Wiebe-Smith at lwiebesmith@nccumc.org and we will waive the participant fee.
Should I participate on my own or in a group? Either option works, depending on your own preferences. Clergy who participated when this program was first released had positive experiences working through the material with pre-existing clergy groups. If you are already part of a Covenant Group, clergy book club, or other existing cohort, consider inviting your group to register with you.
Can you help connect me with a group? If you are interested in finding a clergy group to journey with through this program, please reach out to cle@nccumc.org. If we receive multiple inquiries, we’ll be happy to connect you!
What does each session include? Each session includes a 30-40 minute video with a grounding exercise, reflection, reflection questions, and suggested spiritual practice. There is a place in each video where you are asked to pause to reflect and (if working with a group) discuss with others. We recommend carving out 60-75 minutes of uninterrupted time for each session. The intention is to offer space to be fed, reflect, share, and engage in nourishing and sustaining practices for the journey ahead.
About Lisa Yebuah:
Lisa Yebuah is the pastor of the Southeast Raleigh Table, the newest worshipping community of Edenton Street UMC, and also serves on the Cabinet as the Spiritual Director and Advisor for Inclusion and Equity. She’s a 1999 graduate of Wofford College and a 2004 graduate of Duke University Divinity School. Life in ministry is at the heart of who she is. When asked, Lisa sums up her vocation through the lens of Mark 2: “I’m trying to help people in the pews become less concerned about the holes we make in our roofs and become more holy restless about our friends who’re bound to their mats.” Beyond ministry, Lisa is a professional people watcher, a biscuit-eating CrossFitter, and a seasoned trash-talker during the football season.