home

Adam Rush’s Story

September 11, 2025

Adam is a big outdoors guy, and he enjoys hiking and camping, and has recently been learning disc golf. “Ministry keeps me busy—in many good ways,” Adam shares. Now in his third year as pastor of Mayfield First United Methodist Church, he juggles the everyday demands of shepherding a congregation alongside being a husband to his wife, Karen, and a father to their children, Alice and Joey. On top of that, the church is still in the process of rebuilding after the devastating tornado that struck Mayfield in 2021.

Even in the best of ways, the demands of life and ministry can pull at you. Pastors often don’t take enough quiet time to pause and breathe—and Adam recognizes this truth. With the Bishop’s new emphasis on prioritizing mental health and well-being, Adam has felt encouraged to focus on his own well-being. His time on retreat at Beersheba provides the distance he needs from his ministry area, allowing him to truly disconnect—and that disconnection has been a gift.

A ‘thin place’ is a Celtic Christian term for those spaces where we feel closest to God,” Adam explains. “For me, Beersheba is that thin place. Every time I come here—whether it’s been for seminary, ordination, or simply retreat—I leave feeling filled. This visit, my focus was not on tasks but on being still and present with God. Beersheba gives me strength and renewal for ministry. I’ve considered other retreat sites, but in the end, I always come home to Beersheba.”

Your support and love for Beersheba make it possible to create a sacred space where pastors’ lives are renewed and strengthened.