Notes to pastors
I appreciate you wherever you are in your ministry arc!
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month, at least according to the greeting card companies. While I wish we would focus on encouraging ministers all year long, I think it is good to have an official month to remind us to celebrate who pastors are and what they do. Here are notes to specific groups of ministers lifting up what I see in and hope for them:
Dear 20-something, new-to-ministry pastor, I am so excited for you! You are just beginning your journey in this weird and wonderful vocation. The church will benefit so much from your energy and ideas. Though some people will likely pin unrealistic hopes on you because of your age, expecting you to be the magnet that draws all young families to your ministry setting, know that you are only responsible for being authentic and faithful. Be sure to set up good support systems from the beginning, including a pastoral relations team in your context, friend groups and interests beyond your workplace, and professionals who can help you stay healthy and thriving. All of these are key for living into the fullness of God’s image in you, not just the ministry-related parts of you.
Dear pastor questioning your call, I see you. I know you are faithful, no matter what you discern about your vocational future. Thank you for all that you have given to this holy work. You have impacted more lives for the better than you will ever know. I implore you to hear this: if professional ministry is not a healthy way forward for you, it is ok for you to step into other ways of being a disciple of Jesus Christ and a witness to God’s love. Please take care of yourself. We need you on Earth more than we need you serving in a particular setting or role.
Dear multi-vocational pastor, what you are doing is so important. You are tying church and the larger community together in ways that those of us who are full time in a single setting cannot, leveraging the breadth of your considerable strengths. You are also proving that this pastoral model can work for everyone involved, which is needed because so many congregations are having to reimagine staff and structure as demographics and resources shift. I hope that in your varied roles you are able to find ample time to tend to your own body, mind, and spirit, because the tugs on your energy are coming from many sources.
Dear pastor in a new position, a fresh start is both frenetic and joyful, because there are so many people to meet and mysteries to uncover. I hope you will savor this stage in your vocational life, not staying so busy that all you feel is tired and that you don’t have time for people and interests outside of ministry. I am grateful for the fresh eyes you bring to your setting. They are so needed! You can lift up what has gone as yet unnoticed, whether those are gifts and stories to amplify or quandaries that need to be addressed so that your context can live as fully as possible into God’s dream for it. I can’t wait to see how this chapter of your ministry - and your setting’s life - will unfold.
Dear pastor struggling to find a position, it is so hard to wait and to search. There might be many reasons why a good fit has eluded you to this point, but know that your call and your gifts are not in question. I pray that a context comes along that is eager for all that you have to offer and that allows you to live into the fullness of your vocation.
Dear second career pastor, thank you for bringing your many life experiences to ministry! It also does not go unnoticed that you - and maybe even your loved ones - had to make changes and sacrifices to train for this work. Your commitment and enthusiasm are a joy and a boost to those of us who have been in the trenches for a while.
Dear pastor nearing retirement, well done, good and faithful servant. You have seen the Church through so many changes and struggles. You are leaving a legacy that the rest of us will gratefully build upon. Please let us celebrate you and bless you into a season in which you will still be a minister of the Gospel - I don’t think this way of showing up ever leaves pastors - but without the responsibilities of 24/7 availability, so many meetings, and the heavy load that is knowing what all the people in your care are going through. I hope you will bless your successor as well, trusting that they will guide your flock ably and faithfully, even if differently than you did. Enjoy your new state of leisure, spending time with loved ones and doing the things you didn’t have time for when you were in an official pastoral role.
To all pastors - I am glad to be part of the Church to which you are offering your considerable gifts.
What groups of pastors did I inadvertently leave out? Drop a note in the comments, and I'll write a follow up post with notes to them.