What would you wish for in retirement? Good health? Financial Stability? A supportive social community? Retiring well is everyone’s goal, but accomplishing this end requires planning and effort. Family physician Gwen Halaas recognizes the challenges professional caregivers such as clergy experience as they try to practice good self-care, particularly as they approach the significant changes inherent in retirement.

Taking inspiration from the Spanish word for retirement—jubilacion—veteran minister Bruce Epperly challenges and empowers clergy to see retirement as a celebration of new possibilities. Similar in spirit to the Jubilee year described in scripture, retirement can be a time of transformation and exploration, of freedom to try on new versions of yourself and new paths of service. In that spirit, clergy can embrace creative transformation in their relationships, neighborhoods, religious communities, and politics. No longer tethered to the politics and administrative duties of congregational leadership, they can now freely commit themselves to relational, intellectual, and spiritual growth. They can also focus on personal, community, and planetary healing and transformation. Retired clergy can become sages and wisdom givers sharing their insights and energy with seminarians and novice pastors, congregations, and communities. Bringing together the fruits of conversations with more than 100 retired clergy, theological reflection, and spiritual practices, this text provides a way forward for clergy considering retirement and retired clergy. Based on interviews from persons from diverse denominations, theological perspectives, and ethnic and racial backgrounds, this book garners wisdom from pastors on their retirement journeys, from personal preparation and public announcement to first steps following retirement and long-term adventures.

For clergy, retirement is an opportunity—and a matter of the soul. The topic of retirement is critical for an increasing number of clergy, but it is often ignored—something many clergy would rather not think about. After decades of leadership, retirement can seem more like an obstacle—or even like oblivion—than an opportunity. Stepping Aside, Moving Ahead offers guidance for any clergyperson within a decade of retirement. Author Steve Harper writes in the form of letters to a fictitious “every-pastor.” Through these compassionate and instructive letters, the author dialogues with clergy who are just beginning to think about what retirement might bring and with those who stand on the brink of it. He guides the reader through the entire process of planning for retirement: from the initial questions about timing, to financial and other practical concerns, to issues of call and legacy, and more. Steve Harper’s wise counsel and pastoral voice is just what clergy need. “Retirement is a spiritual question for pastors. Having answered the call of God to lifetime ministry, how does a pastor assume the role of a retiree? Steve Harper answers the question with spiritual insights and practical suggestions that affirm retirement as a chapter in God’s call leading us to new depths of understanding in renewal and new heights of joy in redeployment.” —David McKenna, President Emeritus, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY “Stepping Aside, Moving Ahead offers theological, personal, and practical advice for anyone who is considering or who is already in retirement. Harper includes a comprehensive spectrum of the issues around clergy retirement. His message is clear: there is abundant life after retirement. This book should be given to every clergy at preretirement seminars in order to prepare servant leaders for this fruitful chapter in their lives.” —Peggy A. Johnson, Bishop, Philadelphia Area, UMC "This book is an excellent tool for boomers and clergy ... who see great significance in living our legacy of love and faith as we mentor others!" --Clayton L. Smith, Executive Pastor, United Methodist Church of the Resurrection

Ministers spend their lives leading and serving others. And although the demands of their jobs are often challenging and sometime tiresome, they receive strength and comfort from knowing their work and service has meaning and is significant to the kingdom of God. But what happens when they retire? How do they transition from shepherd to sheep? For many retired pastors, this change is very difficult.In Out of the Pulpit, into the Pew, retired pastor Gene Williams provides encouragement and guidance for retired and active pastors who want to find meaning and enjoyment in their retirement years. He discusses the importance of preparing for retirement and explores ways one can find significance and service even though he or she has moved from the pulpit to the pew. He addresses several of the questions retired ministers struggle with such as, ’Who am I without a church?’ ’What do I do now?’ ’Where will I live?’ and ’How do I maintain financial stability?’ He explains how cultivating healthy self-respect, having a secure financial savings, and finding a healthy hobby are just a few of the bridges that must be crossed in order to enjoy a meaningful life in retirement.Out of the Pulpit, into the Pew offers active and retired ministers wisdom and practical guidance as they transition into a meaningful, well-deserved life in retirement.

Clergy Retirement: Every Ending a New Beginning for Clergy,Their Families, and Congregants, emphasizes that retirement is much more than a significant personal loss and has an impact on more than just the retiring clergy. Besides saying goodbye to congregants, colleagues, and a career, clergy are encouraged to devote time discovering new meaning in life and seeking potential opportunities, both personal and professional. At the same time, the impact of this retirement on others who significantly shared the clergy’s life is sensitively highlighted. The ripple effects of this transition are broad, but can be most meaningfully addressed with sensitive consideration and thoughtful planning. This book, therefore, offers practical advice, serving as a manual for transition for the entire congregation. Everyone touched by this retirement is guided to find new meaning for their future after honestly and sensitively facing the end of a career.

What does retirement mean for Church of England clergy? Fourteen retired clergy reflect on their experiences in retirement and discuss the challenges and opportunities of this new stage of life.

In Clergy Retirement: Every Ending a New Beginning for Clergy, Their Families, and Congregants, retirement is likened to a death experience, but much more. Besides saying goodbye to congregants, colleagues, and a career, it is equally important, as in any other loss, to take time to grieve aernd then to discover new meaning in life through which to reinvent oneself and grow to new heights. This book is a manual for transition into a new world as one approaches retirement. It not only encourages the retiree to think through the process of making new meaning, but offers practical suggestions of how to do so.