The Revd Canon Dr Kathryn Goldsmith is Precentor at Wakefield Cathedral, in the Diocese of Leeds.
"I'm in charge of all the worship and music that happens in the cathedral.
On a week-by-week basis, I make sure that our normal services happen, manage the Cathedral Choir and the Director of Music. Going into advent and looking ahead to Christmas, I have all the big services to think about; carol services, civic services, and services with bishops."
But before Kathryn began this role, she was serving in parish ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keeping communities together, parishioners positive in the face of unprecedented challenges, and navigating a new normal of restrictions and online church services - many clergy found themselves exhausted and burnt out once lockdown was over.
We were privileged to provide Kathryn with Emergency grants to help ease the demands on her time and her finances, including helping to replace a broken washing machine and to repair her car. After the pandemic, a Holiday grant meant she could finish the trip to New York that had been cut short by the start of theological college.
"Burnout isn't good for you, or for everyone around you."
"When you're ordained, there's no set working hours and you're responsible for your own workload. Clergy can be very conscientious about wanting to make sure that their parish comes first.
It's so easy to think 'well, it's my day off, but I'll just do this on the computer' or 'I'll just sort that funeral out'. It's really, really difficult to step away from work.
You end up giving so much, that you don't have any time left to take care of yourself, and that's no good to your parishioners.
I've known clergy who've burnt themselves out doing that, and I came fairly close to that myself. Clergy taking care of themselves is something we don't find very easy to do. It's not part of our vocation, but it's necessary. Being able to stop and look after yourself is crucial."
"It was a really daunting task to know where to begin."
"This year, I moved into the precentor's house, which has a huge garden. I don't think either of my two predecessors had done a huge amount with it in the past.
For somebody who doesn't know how to garden, and who hasn't got the time - because I don't even have time to just relax these days - it was a really daunting task to know where to begin.
An Emergency grant for gardening costs enabled me to get a gardener to come in and to get the garden back to a manageable state, which is something I could never have achieved on my own!"
We, and many Church leaders, are concerned that more than 1 in 5 serving clergy relied on our help last year. That’s why, as well as providing grants and services for those in need, we're working with the national Churches and others to develop longer-term solutions, so that every clergy household can thrive.
Last year, we supported over 2,700 Anglican clergy households, with 6,800 grants. The demand for our services has quadrupled in the past four years, and continues to grow. We're only able to walk alongside clergy and their families with your help.
If you feel able to make a donation through the link below, to help us continue to serve the people who spend their lives serving others, it would be very greatly appreciated.