First Presbyterian Church Fort Dodge

I returned from my CREDO (rhymes with “play-doh”) conference with my cup overflowing. This conference, put on by our denomination, was the best one I’ve ever attended. CREDO aimed at encouraging pastors to be healthy in all areas of their life. We heard lectures on physical health, emotional health, vocational concerns and ministry, finances and financial planning, and spirituality. We were also given time to have small group discussions with other pastors, and to have one-on-one conferences with any of the faculty at the conference to talk about specific situations or topics.

Each of the 21 pastors who attended this session of CREDO (We were the 64^th group to go through this program), created 3 goals to work on in the months and years to come. Each of our 3 goals had a spiritual, vocational, health, and financial component.

I’ve heard of the value of taking quarterly or yearly retreats to pray, vision, and set goals, yet I had never given myself permission to do it. I don’t think it was that I didn’t see the value in it, but maybe I kept pushing it off because it is important but not urgent. CREDO gave me the opportunity to pray, vision, learn and set goals for 7 days straight. It was a gift. I now know firsthand the value these retreats. The CREDO faculty encouraged us to regularly set up time in our schedule to review and tweak these goals, even it is simply 3 hours every quarter to check in.

I enjoyed meeting the 8 faculty members. I also enjoyed getting to know the 20 other clergy who attended CREDO 64. I give thanks to God for our denomination’s wisdom in seeing the value of a conference like this. I give thanks to God for the opportunity to go. Most of all, I give thanks to God for leading me as I set goals for myself to become the best version of myself that I can be.

See you in worship,

Sara