news article
Preachers find time to rest and play while on renewal trip to Belize
January 28, 2025 / By Shelby Winchell, Director of Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
In the early morning hours of January 14, eleven Upper New York clergy boarded a plane from Syracuse, NY to Central America. They traded in their winter jackets, boots, and freezing cold temperatures for sandals, sunscreen, and a chance to embark on a journey that promised to be full of rest and renewal. This was the first renewal trip planned for preachers serving United Methodists of Upper New York, designed solely to help preachers embody a healthy rhythm of rest, work, and play.
“When preachers have healthy rhythms of rest, work, and play they become inspired themselves and can inspire others,” explained the Rev. Abigail Browka, Associate Director of Missional Excellence and Program Director of the Compelling Preaching Initiative.
In 2023, the Upper New York Conference was awarded a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative to launch Preachers: Rest. Work. Play. The mission of the grant was to help preachers embody a healthy rhythm of rest, work, and play. In mid-August 2024, the first cohort of clergy was selected and included Pastor Jeannine Biehls, appointed to both Bluff Point UMC and Dresden UMC; Pastor Casey Bradley, appointed to Oneonta: First UMC; the Rev. Jennifer Green, pastor at Hilton UMC; the Rev. Gary Kubitz, pastor at Greece UMC; Pastor Joel Holcomb, appointed to both Nassau: Grace UMC and Troy: Center Brunswick UMC; Pastor Nate Lange, appointed to Fayetteville UMC; the Rev. Teressa Sivers, pastor at Endicott: Central UMC; Pastor Ian Urriola, appointed as an Associate Pastor at Burnt Hills UMC; and the Rev. Leanne Zeck, appointed to Bath: Centenary UMC and coordinating pastor at Risingville UMC and Wheeler UMC.
“Clergy wellness is the only way that we can live into our calling in a sustainable way. The only way they can honor their calling fully to God is by being well. We can't expect them to interact in or with their congregations in their communities in meaningful ways unless they too tend to their own soul care, unless they too tend to their own families and their own bodies, because it disrupts the whole ecosystem. There's so much weight that gets placed on the hearts and minds of our clergy that so often their rest and their wellness gets knocked to later in the week and their sabbath is short changed or it never comes and sooner or later we're facing burnout,” explained Pastor Bekah Solar, Associate Director of Missional Excellence and Cohort Manager.
The cohort left immediate family and loved ones behind in order to bond with one another on a seven-day international trip. The first part of the trip was spent in the jungle of Belize where Black Rock Canyon meets the Macal River at Black Rock Lodge. After a full day of travel, the group was handed an open agenda to explore, meditate, journal, pray, and be one with God. The week-long trip included exploring the food and culture of the ancient Mayan people, with a day set aside to explore the Ancient Maya archaeological site, Xunantunich located in the Cayo District and bordering the Guatemala border. The second half of the trip was spent on the islands of South Pedro and Caye Caulker, small beach 
cities located on the south part of Ambergris Caye. The group was invited to snorkel in the Caribbean Sea, swim with sharks in Shark Ray Alley, and take part in a private sunset dinner cruise while feasting on a Belizean cuisine during the renewal trip.
For many pastors, the demands of ministry and daily life can obscure the simple yet profound truths of faith. Rev. Kubitz reflected on how his experience with the cohort served as a powerful reminder of God’s unwavering love and his inherent worth.
“A part of my everyday devotional while I was here was 1 Corinthians 13 — just focusing on what love is, how we experience love, and how we share love. That was something I did every morning and every evening. Grounding myself in that reminded me that before anything else, I’m loved, that God loves me, that I am a child of God, a person of worth. It’s not about what I do; it’s simply because God made me the way I am.”
In the midst of the busyness of being a pastor, father, and husband, this time of reflection helped Rev. Kubitz see these roles as gifts and reconnect with the foundational truth of their identity in God. For Rev. Sivers, she embraced the idea of fully letting go.
“I did some mission trips with churches where it was some play, but it was still work. I was always the pastor while I was on those trips. This renewal trip has been so freeing because I'm here with other clergy and I don't have to pastor anybody. In fact, I'm being pastored by Bekah and Abigail. I can't say that enough and I cannot tell the conference enough how grateful I am for them investing this time in pastor wellness. We should have been doing this for decades, but I'm so grateful that they're taking this step and really investing in clergy finding that balance.”
The idea of taking a trip to rest and leave work responsibilities behind wasn’t well received at first by everyone. Many participants struggled with the concept of stepping away from their demanding schedules and the day-to-day responsibilities of their church ministries.
“Prior to leaving, I realized I desperately needed this trip more than I actually knew as I cried just the whole way from Bath to Syracuse to travel to the airport practically just from the grief. I've buried a few people in the last month and just the weight of the holiday season, I didn't realize that I had not really taken a lot of time for myself so I think it was a process of learning why I had to be here and I needed to say yes to this,” said Rev. Zeck.
Others expressed similar concerns, feeling hesitant to prioritize their own renewal over the needs of their congregations. For many, the initial resistance reflected the deep-rooted challenges pastors face in balancing their personal well-being with the expectations of ministry.
“My first thought was I couldn’t take that much time off in this season of the Church. I’ve got too many other things going on right now,” said Pastor Casey Bradley. “It felt almost impossible to put everything on pause. But as the trip got closer, I realized this was needed and this was something I needed to do.”
For others, signing up to be a part of the cohort was a personal challenge.
“I'm an introvert so this was really stepping outside of my comfort zone. I knew no one coming into this. I signed up for it because of that very reason and, at this point, I could not be more comfortable with the 12 people that I traveled with to Belize. I am so excited to stick with these connections and reconnect with all these pastors on a monthly basis. It just feels good to have a like mind, somebody that understands what I was going through and where I am right now. I don't have any regrets,” expressed Pastor Jeannine Biehls.
For Pastor Ian Urriola, stepping into his first episcopal appointment marked a pivotal moment in his ministry—a time to set a foundation not only for effective leadership but also for sustainable well-being. Reflecting on his decision to join the cohort, he shared how his awareness of the challenges clergy often face shaped his commitment to cultivating healthy habits early in his journey.
“I threw my name in for this experience a couple weeks into my new appointments. This is my first episcopal assigned setting after serving in different ministry roles for a long time. I wanted to develop the skills of rest and relaxation and taking that intentional time away before I developed bad habits before some of those neural pathway patterns were carved that I've seen in so many of my clergy colleagues who have talked about burn-out and who have talked about the stress of the job and who have left professional ministry altogether. I saw that as this kind of cautionary tale and it was important for me after seeing all of that happen what can I do to ensure that that's not going to happen in my ministry or if it does happen in my ministry, it will be less severe.”
Amid the fast pace of pastoral ministry, finding time to connect deeply with others can often take a back seat to immediate responsibilities. For Rev. Green, the renewal trip offered a chance to rediscover the importance of intentional relationships and their role in spiritual well-being.
“I think what I learned was that when I’m willing to open up to other people, they’ll open up to me. I truly need space in my everyday life—not just to sit with God, which I think I do okay, but to sit with others and form relationships. I’m usually just moving at such a fast pace going from one thing to the next, so perhaps the time to form relationships is something I learned is vital for my soul care.”
This insight highlights the transformative power of community and connection in fostering resilience and renewal for those in ministry. Yet, one pastor admitted he was skeptical of the whole idea of being part of a cohort initially.
“I doubted the whole process. It took that leap of faith that shouldn't have to happen when you trust in God and the process, when you trust in other people of deep faith to provide a possibility for you. That's why I kept telling myself to just do it for myself, trust, and believe because there's a difference between trusting in God and believing and we're called to believe,” admitted Pastor Joel Holcomb.
Each cohort spans approximately ten months, featuring monthly cohort gatherings, a significant Renewal Trip, a Storytelling Immersion Trip, and curated congregational resources. The aim is to renew, restore, and inspire pastors, equipping them to continue their ministry of preaching.
To participate in a cohort, individuals must be clergy or laypersons who currently preach at least twice a month at a church or ministry in Upper New York. The program anticipates to host five cohorts with approximately 12 preachers each through 2027, totaling about 60-75 participants. While churches are asked to make a financial investment based on their average worship attendance, the Upper New York Conference is investing $10,000 in each participant through funds gifted by the Lilly Endowment grant.
To sign up to be part of a future cohort, click here.