Our Story
Northern ELM Mentoring Group was founded by Chris Clark. After more than 20 years in executive leadership, Chris feels called to focus the “second act” of his career on helping pastors amplify the effectiveness of their callings. Chris walks alongside pastors in mentoring relationships that center on strengthening leadership and management skills. He also advocates for clergy by educating lay leaders about the unique challenges and pitfalls pastors face, and what we, as congregants, can do to better support and nourish them.
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Chris’s mentoring and advocacy efforts are based on his executive management experience, his lay leadership roles, and his study of pastoral wellness, needs and self-care. As part of his thorough review of available data, Chris became convinced by the overwhelming evidence that there is a health crisis affecting virtually every aspect of pastors’ lives (physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, familial, financial). Chris has labeled this “the CRISIS in Comprehensive Pastoral Health”.
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Chris is personally aware of a number of gifted pastors whose struggles with self-care and self-development (including the need to enhance leadership & management skills) have negatively impacted their pastorates and their personal satisfaction.
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Chris is prayerfully committed to accompany pastors in strengthening their self-care and leadership & management efforts, as well as to educate laity to help address this crisis.
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Chris and his wife Emily have three adult children and reside in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Bruce Tamlyn is a retired pastor and chaplain, as well as a trained counselor and a certified spiritual director. He has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education Degree from Springfield College, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling Psychology from Bridgewater State College. He completed a Master of Psychology and Religion Degree at Andover Newton Theological School in Boston, MA followed by a counseling internship at Boston University. Bruce is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He is also a member of Spiritual Director’s International.
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Bruce was the long-time director of spiritual life and chaplain of Silver Bay YMCA, a conference center located in the Lake George region of New York State, and continues to practice as a marriage and family therapist at Adirondack Crossroads. He also conducts his own training and development company: Leadership for Life, LLC.
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Bruce and his wife Sarah have three adult daughters and reside in Silver Bay, New York.