CONGREGATIONAL
SUPPORT
In a study conducted by Dean Hoge and Jacqueline Wenger, Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry, (published by Erdmans), the five top conflict issues that resulted in clergy leaving pastoral ministry were:
 |
Pastoral leadership style |
|
Church finances |
|
Changes in worship style |
|
Staff relationships |
|
Building projects |
When you look at the
life of a modern congregation, one quickly recognizes that these issues
are frequently part of congregational life. However, if the
leadership of a congregation is aware that these are particularly
difficult areas, perhaps there can be more intentional offerings of
support to counteract such difficulties.
Simply acknowledging an awareness of the stress
that a pastor is experiencing can be very supportive. Once I was
feeling the frustrations of preparing a wedding service for a headstrong
bride of a prominent family in our church. I clearly remember an
elder coming up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, and with a smile
saying, "I know that you will be really glad when this wedding is
over." He didn't need to say anything else nor did I need to
respond. I felt the support of the awareness that someone else
understood what I was going through.
Most clergy recognize that effective pastorates require
facing challenging and emotionally draining work. We responded to
God's call with an awareness that both the world and the church are
imperfect. It helps, however, to feel that we are not alone in our
struggles. Sometimes just a word of appreciation is enough.
PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH
Sometimes by slightly altering the words of a psalm, it can become a very clear expression of a pastor's yearning for the ministry and for the church s/he serves. Consider Psalm 67 as your prayer for your church or your presbytery. You will experience the full power of this prayer if you will pray it aloud.
67:1
May God be gracious to the church and bless the church and make his face
to shine upon the church
2. that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among
all churches.
3. Let (name your church or presbytery) praise you, O God; let all
churches praise you.
4. Let the church be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the church
with equity and guide all churches upon earth.
5. Let (church or presbytery) praise you, O God; let all the
churches praise you.
6. The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
PPCN Board
President: Ken Waddell
(Cherokee Presbytery)
Vice President: Julie Johnson
(Palo Duro Presbytery)
Secretary: Lou Sneed
(Mission Presbytery)
Treasurer: Alan Baroody
(Savannah Presbytery)
Steve McCutchan: newsletter ed.
(Salem Presbytery)
David Garnett (East TN Presbytery)
Molly Garnett (East TN Presbytery)
Joe Sandifer (Greater Atlanta Presbytery)
Carol Allen (Chicago Presbytery)
Dan Corll (Pittsburgh Presbytery)
Brenda Jarvis (Detroit Presbytery)
Editor: Stephen McCutchan
CLERGY SELF-CARE (
continued)
support through their online program.
For more information call 1-866-750-7361.
If your desire is to quit smoking, through the Board of
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call 1-888-642-5566
If you or members of your family are living with a chronic
condition, the SmartSteps disease management program can connect
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to help you control your chronic disease.
The main point is that it benefits the Board of Pensions to
help you keep healthy. Therefore they have developed a series of
programs that are available to you free as a member of the plan. All
you need to do to find out more about these and many other programs is to
call 1-866--640-2772 or go online at www.cignabehavioral.com
to find out more.
A Final Word
In the Hodge Wenger study
mentioned elsewhere, in the five denominational groups studies, the top
factors for clergy leaving the ministry were there: "I felt
drained by the demands. I felt lonely and isolated. I did not
feel supported by denominational officials. I felt bored and
constrained."
Let all of us offer the ministry of hospitality to God's
servants in 2008.