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Online event to support women’s well-being

Women chatting at a coffee shop

The Michigan Conference sponsors a free virtual forum on September 22 to support women struggling to find ways to manage stress and be whole again in this continued season of post-pandemic burnout.

Women of all ages from the Michigan Conference are invited to a free online presentation providing mutual support and practical techniques to help manage daily stress. The event, titled “You Are Not Alone: How to Live Your Best and Most Authentic Life,” will be held on September 22, 2022, from 12 to 1pm EDT.

Click here to register in advance for this one-hour virtual event. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent containing information on how to join the meeting.

Sponsored by the Commission on the Status and Role Division of the Michigan Conference Board of Justice, the sharing and learning conversation features Rev. Pamela Pirtle, Senior Director of Leadership Development and Accountability for the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women and Rev. Dr. Shelly Brooks-Sanford, Church Wellness Programs and Outreach Manager for the Center for Health, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church.

The conversation will focus on finding ways for women to live authentically and to be whole again in this continued season of burnout. The reality is that women continue to manage a litany of pressures in response to the life and work changes caused by the pandemic. Our presenters will recommend tools for wellness, meditation, self-care, and life balance, as well as set aside space for participants to share and offer feedback and suggestions. Rev. Pirtle will lead this conversation in collaboration with her teaching partner, Rev. Dr. Brooks-Sandford.

According to Rev. Kristi Hintz, co-pastor of Marquette Hope United Methodist Church and clergy member of the conference commission, it is their job as the COSROW division of the Board of Justice to listen and to understand the issues women around the Michigan Conference are facing so they can support and provide leadership in a helpful and informed way.

“We know women are faced with unhealthy levels of stress, and that over time this heightened level of anxiety is destructive,” notes Rev. Hintz. She sees the purpose of this online event to offer a welcoming forum for women to share where they are and what they are struggling with rather than to presume the scope of what those things might be. It’s one way the commission is living into its ministry to women throughout the Michigan Conference.

the Senior Director of Leadership Development and Accountability for the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in the United Methodist Church.

Prior to her work with COSROW, Rev. Pamela Pirtle served as a pastor in the Washington Park community in Chicago. She previously worked in higher education as a diversity officer where her experiences included work with human resources, policy development, and strategic planning, in addition to collaborations with a wide range of university leadership. Pamela is an Elder in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference where she serves.

Rev. Dr. Shelly Brooks-Sanford has served 10 years with Wespath Benefits and Investments as Population Health Manager. She also has 18 years of prior service as lead pastor of local congregations of all sizes, in addition to serving as a district superintendent. Before entering full-time ministry, Rev. Dr. Brooks-Sandford worked as a family physician. She is still an Elder in the Central Texas Annual Conference and enjoys the opportunity to combine these two streams of training and experience in her current work to improve the well-being of clergy, lay leaders, and their families.

Last Updated on August 31, 2022

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The Michigan Conference