Clergy Commuter Marriages

Having lived apart from my spouse for two years to serve a United Methodist congregation in rural Arizona, Clergy Commuter Marriages: Living Apart, Staying Together chronicles our experiences and what we wish we knew and what we now know. With economic demands, two-career couples, and family dynamics, the clergy spouse and family are no longer trailers hitched to a pastor’s every move. When I was asked to take an appointment in 2010 that would invariably cause a separation from my spouse due to her employment, there were no resources available to guide us through the decision-making process, prepare us for the challenges of the separation, and anticipate the adjustments to living together again. Written from our experience and those of other commuting couples, this book is a resource for the growing number of clergy and spouses considering or presently living in a commuter marriage and those responsible for deploying them.