By MC USA staff
(Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is offering a series of webinars this month for pastors, leaders and 
other faith workers. Led by denominational ministers and chaplains, the webinars provide tools to address the difficult realities faced by ministry leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The webinar, Recognition of Trauma Exposure and Resilience in the Face of Compassion Fatigue, will examine the impact of new and traumatic stressors and the factors that predispose leaders to burnout and compassion fatigue. This resource-rich presentation also will provide practical and faith-based approaches to reduce stress and encourage resilience. Led by Rev. Dr. Melissa Hofstetter, an ordained minister in MC USA and a clinical psychologist, and Sue Park–Hur, denominational minister of Transformative Peacemaking for MC USA, the webinar will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, from 2:30-4 p.m. EDT (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. PDT). To participate in this live, one-time event, register here by end of day Monday, April 20. For privacy reasons, this webinar will not be recorded.
“The emotional and spiritual needs of congregations have increased exponentially during the pandemic,” said Park-Hur. “Many pastors may feel overwhelmed trying to respond in meaningful and authentic ways, while dealing with their own financial, physical and spiritual challenges. Through this webinar, we want to invite pastors to recognize their own needs and care for themselves while they care for their congregants.
Chaplains Charlene Epp, Jennifer Boers Gingerich and Jerry Nussbaum
Another webinar, Rituals Around Death and Dying, will examine the unique challenges imposed by physical distancing when caring for those who are sick, hospitalized, dying and grieving. Led by hospital/hospice chaplains Charlene Epp, Jennifer Boers Gingerich and Jerry Nussbaum, the panel discussion will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. EDT (1:30-2:30 p.m. PDT). To participate, register here by end of day Monday, April 20.
“People turn to their pastor when a loved one dies,” said Michael Danner, MC USA’s associate executive director for Church Vitality, who is hosting the webinar. “How can pastors provide those important touchstones in the grieving process when physical distancing guidelines disrupt norms around death and make familiar rituals impossible? Our chaplains face these challenges every day and will explore the rituals that pastors can use to assist congregants during these difficult times.”
MC USA also is offering videos of other recent webinars, including:
- Virtual Tools for Real Youth Ministry
- Accessing Financial Resources Through the CARES Act
For more information on MC USA’s upcoming webinars or to view previous presentations, visit http://mennoniteusa.org/leadership-development/webinars/.
Mennonite Church USA is the largest Mennonite denomination in the United States with 16 conferences, approximately 530 congregations and 62,000 members. An Anabaptist Christian denomination, MC USA is part of Mennonite World Conference, a global faith family that includes churches in 86 countries. It has offices in Elkhart, Indiana and Newton, Kansas. mennoniteUSA.org