Ok, part of what I pm'd Jean is that I found the best support is from other clergy wives IRL. Our church has an annual retreat for us and it is really amazing to be with this group of ladies! I look forward to it all year. Nobody else, no matter how sympathetic, can really get it.
However, my group is rather far flung and it would be nice to have some support closer to also... I have been talking with the local Anglican priest's wife about trying to start something in our town-- for many clergy wives. It would be fun and helpful. I don't know whether it will be tea and chatting, or lectures (like about clergy taxes-- I bet lots of clergy wives are the ones who do the taxes! or about famly wellness or dealing with trouble in the parish, bringing up clergy kids, or many other topics), or Bible study, or what, but we want to get a few of us together and see what happens.
I also worry, because from time to time there is a story in the news about a horrible tragedy in some pastor's family... that they had been struggling with something, whether addiction or financial troubles, for a long time and it was a dreadful secret they could not tell anyone because they had to put a good face on everything... and finally something awful happens-- I would hate for that to happen in my own town and I never even knew the family even though I could have offered support if the wife had reached out to me, but why would she even think of doing that? I hope we could make a community where clergy wives who are struggling could find someone to confide in. I wonder if some of you all could start this in your own towns, if you are inspired to do so.
Anyway lots of towns have clergy meetings for the clergy-- why not try to start, through them, a meeting for their wives? I am going to a meeting of clergy wives in our region next week-- meeting in a vineyard-- very apt!
:grouphug: to all.