New England Synod
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Health and Wholeness Team
The Health and Wholeness Team (formerly the Life Enrichment Task Force) of the New England Synod is an extension of the Ministry Assistance Program. Over the years, since its inception in 1997, the team has been comprised of pastors, rostered lay leaders, spouses of pastors and behavioral healthcare professionals.

Members
Pr. Howard Mathisen (chair)
Pr. Perry Beaver
Pr. Donald Blume
Pr. Patricia Criste
Pr. Clifford Gerber
Waltraud Louis
Lesley Marcoux
Jeffrey Michals-Brown
Nancy Robbins.

The mission of this team is to support and enrich the lives of pastors and rostered lay leaders and their immediate families. As the name change suggests, we especially seek to promote health and wholeness in their various manifestations.

Over the years, we have offered workshops on a variety of subjects, sponsored Regional Gatherings for Worship and Fellowship, and planned and led the Liturgy for Healing at several Synod Assemblies. More recent projects have included:

·         NEW: If It Works for You…Ideas from You and Your Colleagues for Managing Stress Collected and Organized by the Health and Wholeness Team

·         Pastoring Pastoral Families – encouraging parish pastors and their family members to choose someone to be their pastor and to inform both key people in the congregation and Synod staff of this selection so that the chosen pastor may be called in a time of emergency

·         Spiritual Direction: A Resource for Enriching Your Spiritual Life – a brochure that explores several aspects of this opportunity for growth

·         Mentoring First-Call Pastors – providing support for pastors new to the ministry

·         Sabbatical: Renewal for the Future – a structured program of a sabbatical leave that will be planned around a congregation developing a comprehensive vision plan

·         Healthy Transitions: Resources for Appropriate Termination of a Call – a comprehensive document that sets forth expectations of pastors and congregations when a pastor resigns a call, including covenants, a Rite of Farewell and Godspeed for a Pastor, Rites of Welcome and Farewell for an Interim Pastor, a Bible study for congregations in transition, and additional resources

 

Literature on any of these opportunities is available at the Synod House. For additional information, as well as to make suggestions for possible future activities, please contact:

The Rev. Dr. Howard Mathisen
Chair, Health and Wholeness Team
Office Phone: (508) 754-1803 x123
Home Phone: (508) 949-2566




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20 Upland Street, Worcester, MA 01607 . P: (508) 791-1530 F: (508) 797-9295