Tears, hugs, hard questions, encouraging conferences, time to worship and rest marked the After the Storm: Personal Recovery Retreat held at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega on Aug. 16–17.
The retreat, intended for tornado ministry-fatigued church leaders and their spouses, was provided by the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). The event was coordinated by the office of LeaderCare and church administration. Pathways Professional Counseling, the counseling ministry of Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries, provided staff who gave a listening ear to those who needed to talk.
Many who attended the retreat voiced that they were dealing with compassion fatigue following the April 27 tornadoes that devastated the state.
Patrick Branch, pastor of Oak Grove Baptist Church near Tuscaloosa, admitted he needed the get-away. “Since the tornadoes, I’ve been touchier, on edge,” he said, noting he has ministered to many members of his church who suffered tornado damage.
Forest Lake Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, has ministered nonstop to tornado victims. Charlotte Payne, wife of Donald Payne, Forest Lake’s pastor, said, “I hurt for my husband. He carries so many burdens. I’m tired and worn out. Our church members are tired.”
Sammy Taylor, pastor of Mountain View Baptist Church, Phil Campbell, said that along with the emotional impact of ministering to his community that lost 13 residents, the disruption of the church’s ministry has been difficult.
Mountain View Baptist’s building was destroyed, so church members had to adjust to meeting across town at the Bevill Center at Northwest-Shoals Community College for three months. For the past month, church members have been back on church property though with the addition of two mobile chapels provided by Alabama Baptist disaster relief. “We have been overwhelmed by love,” Taylor said. “Churches across the country have given support. We haven’t been alone.”
Rick Lance, executive director of the SBOM, said in an e-mail invitation to the event, “This retreat is a gift from fellow Alabama Baptists and others who desire to do something helpful for you personally and to involve you with others who have experienced ‘the storm’ like you.”
Jay Wolf, pastor of First Baptist Church, Montgomery, brought two worship service messages. He encouraged those in attendance with Jesus’ promise of victory in John 16:33. “Jesus is the ultimate victor,” Wolf said. “That means I’m not a victim.”
Chuck Register, executive leader for church planting and missions development for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, led one of several breakout sessions, Adjusting to the New Normal.
Register, former pastor of First Baptist Church, Gulfport, Miss., shared from his personal experience of Hurricane Katrina destroying First, Gulfport, in 2005 while he was pastor.
“Acknowledge the reality of compassion fatigue in your life,” he said. “You aren’t Superman.”
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