Clergy Self-Care Includes Your Finances

As spiritual anchors for your congregation or community, you can spend hours of personal sacrifice providing guidance, solace, and wisdom to those you serve in times of need.

However, a deep commitment and passion to your call should never come at the sacrifice of your own personal wellbeing—spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially.

Self-neglect can have detrimental outcomes.

• Financial Stress: Many clergy grapple with inadequate compensation. Lower than average pastoral salaries can cause financial strain and result in emotional stress, anxiety, and a diminished ability to focus on what is really important—God, church, and family.
• Burnout and Exhaustion: The demands of ministry can be emotionally taxing, sometimes leading to burnout. Overextending yourself without sufficient self-care, including not putting your finances in order, can exacerbate these issues.
• Impact on Ministry: When you are preoccupied with personal financial concerns, it can affect your ability to provide effective spiritual guidance to congregants. Personal financial struggles can hinder your capacity to empathize and counsel those in need.

Clergy self-care extends beyond emotional and spiritual practices—it must also include personal finance. Knowing how to handle financial matters, from budgeting to saving for retirement, can significantly reduce money stress and result in improved mental and emotional health. When your finances are in order, you will have peace of mind.

Consider these steps for integrating finances into your self-care routine:

• Financial Education: Leverage the financial wellness tools, resources, and webinar events the Pension Boards offers to help you make informed decisions about your finances.
• Budgeting and Savings: Learn to establish basic budgets and savings plans, ensuring you have a financial safety net for unexpected expenses, then stick to your plan.
• Retirement Planning: Participate in the Pension Boards’ bi-monthly Planning for the Transition to Retirement seminars, which offer guidance on the decisions you’ll need to make for retirement in advance of your retirement.

As clergy, you carry a profound responsibility, providing spiritual guidance and support to countless of individuals and families. Prioritize your finances as part of your overall self-care, so that you can lead a fulfilling life with reduced anxiety and stress.