January 6, 2010
By Deborah White

God had to break his heart before United Methodist Bishop James Swanson started taking better care of himself.

Serious soul searching and prayer have resulted in Swanson losing 30 pounds, turning him into a man who walks three times a week, eats more leafy vegetables, drinks more water and consumes three servings of dairy products a day.

Swanson is one of many spiritual leaders leading healthier lives because of new United Methodist clergy health initiatives ranging from in-depth studies to a reward program for physical activity.

Swanson's turning point came in June 2008 when the Episcopal Leadership Forum of Duke Divinity School arranged for him and other bishops to receive health assessments and coaching sessions in Memphis, Tenn., at the Church Health Center, an organization with a strong preventive medicine component.

"I discovered that I have diabetes," said Swanson, episcopal leader of the Holston Annual (regional) Conference. The life coach "talked about my responsibility not to shortchange my family or my church."

Beating stress

Looking at an old picture added to his motivation.

"I noticed that my skin tone looked different – that guy back there looked a lot happier," Swanson recalled. "At one time, I wasn't as large. I thought about my family. I did some serious soul searching and prayer. It was confusing. I had to let God break my heart."

When he travels, he makes time to eat a nutritious meal at a restaurant instead of hurrying to a meeting with one hand holding a hamburger and the other guiding the steering wheel. And he always packs his athletic shoes.

He spends time apart, too, reflecting and releasing tension. "For most of our pastors, if anything adds to the deterioration of our bodies, it is stress," he said.

Swanson made a lasting impression when he spoke about his health journey last August during an annual conference staff training event at Lake Junaluska, N.C., sponsored by the Council of Bishops, the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and the Board of Discipleship.

Participants received a pedometer and a booklet, "On the Move in Congregations: Walking with Jesus," which outlines changes clergy can make to lead healthier lives.

Worse than average

Studies show that the health of United Methodist clergy is worse than average in many categories. A 2008 Duke Divinity School study found that rates of diabetes, arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure and obesity were much higher for United Methodist pastors in North Carolina than the state's overall population.

The rate of depression for pastors is roughly double that of the U.S. population, the study found, and there is a strong relationship between depression and physical health, greater feelings of social isolation, critical congregants and financial stress.

The study was part of Duke's seven-year, $12 million Clergy Health Initiative that began in 2007. A pilot program in 2009 includes 85 pastors who receive health coaching and financial resources for lifestyle changes.

The Clergy Health Initiative helped inspire the Rev. Lisa Wishon to lose 35 pounds and helped her congregation, Fairview United Methodist Church in Thomasville, N.C., to create an atmosphere conducive to her self-care. "They see me more as their pastor rather than a CEO," she said in a story on Duke's Web site

Delegates to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the church's top legislative body, passed a series of health-related petitions, include a plan to study the effects church systems have on the health of clergy and bring possible recommendations to the 2012 General Conference.

Aiming for change

A 17-member church systems task force convened by the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits and the Board of Higher Education and Ministry met in Chicago in October. They reviewed the results of their research, which included an analysis of more than 20 studies, along with information from United Methodist clergy focus groups, a quantitative survey and in-depth interviews.

The task force identified 13 factors that negatively impact clergy health, including struggling to maintain a healthy diet, difficulty with work/life balance, job dissatisfaction, lack of outside interests, troubled relationships with the congregation, stresses of the appointment process, and problems with family and finances. The report can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/ybx3tdp.

The next step is to assess potential modifications to the employment systems and culture of the church to support clergy health.

"This task force has done a ground-breaking study of issues that affect the health of clergy and their families and thus the health of the denomination," said the Rev. Mary Ann Moman, a Higher Education and Ministry staff executive. "The long-term health of the denomination depends on our ability to rebuild our system's ability to hold each other accountable for practicing healthy patterns in all parts of the system."

Cash incentive

Another major initiative for the denomination is the Center for Health, created by the Board of Pension and Health Benefits in September 2008. One of the center's main programs is the Virgin HealthMiles walking program, available to HealthFlex-covered groups in 29 conferences and three non-conference sponsors.

Participants wear free pedometers to record their activity, upload the data to a secure Web site, and accumulate HealthMiles to earn up to $300 a year. More than 43 percent of HealthFlex members have enrolled in the VHM program and groups outside of HealthFlex can now join the program.

"I became much more intentional about walking whenever I could, parking farther away from the grocery store, taking an evening walk instead of sitting on the couch. This program was motivating on days when I felt like slacking off," said the Rev. Gwen Drake, pastor of Hillsboro United Methodist Church in Hillsboro, Ore., who reached the top reward level in early December.

Noreen Orbach, managing director of Health and Welfare Plan Services for the pensions agency, said the high enrollment gives "an indication that this program will truly improve the health of those who serve The United Methodist Church."

Another program sponsored by the Center for Health is an event scheduled in Bloomington, Minn., Feb. 4-5, 2010, for pastors and spouses called "Renew "U"niversity." (http://tinyurl.com/yejbzg3) It will focus on the five dimensions of health: spiritual, physical, emotional, social and financial.

Swanson has taken these dimensions of health to heart, and he has this message for pastors: "You made a vow you would be faithful to the Lord. One of the places you need to be faithful is stewardship of your own body.

"I have looked at pastors who take care of themselves. Their job performance is better and their happiness level is higher. Pastors who are fit have vitality."

United Methodist News Service
Deborah White is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tenn., and a personal trainer certified with the American College of Sports Medicine.