Have a guest preacher come in on one or two Sundays. Pastors and faith leaders struggle with burnout, the financial struggles of taking time off, and the stress of carrying the ministry load of pastoring without a break.ĭuring this month of clergy appreciation, I challenge your ministry teams to think about and plan for ways to give your pastor and clergy some rest. Of course, we can’t discuss rest and sabbatical for pastors without delving into why it’s so important. Yet working a day job and pastoring a church – sometimes with limited support – can be difficult to manage.Ĭlick image for more information about our March 9, 2023, webinar! #2: Provide an opportunity for your pastor to enjoy time awayĪ few months ago, I wrote about the importance of rest for pastors and church leaders. Many of us know that working one job is hard enough. You don’t know what other financial commitments they have or what they might like to do for their families that they haven’t been able to do for months or even years. But I also believe that giving them some financial support that they can use in the way that they see fit, is the best way to show appreciation. Yes, you can invite them to lunch or provide restaurant gift cards, or even purchase some much-needed supplies for them. Your congregation or church leadership should consider taking up a special offering, (outside of the tithe and offering used to support the church) to be a blessing to your pastor and their family. Serving a smaller church often makes it difficult for pastors to work full-time at the church and support their families, often not having a staff to help bear some of the weight of ministry.Īs a result, during this month, and prayerfully at other times throughout the year, making the weight financially easier for your pastor would be a great support. churchgoers attend a church with more than 250 each week. Half of all churches have fewer than 65 people in their weekly worship service. churches have 100 or fewer weekly worship service attendees. religious congregations revealed that 7 in 10 U.S. The 2020 Faith Communities Today study of more than 15,000 U.S. This is often necessary because the average church size is around 100 people or less. It’s important to understand that many pastors are bi-vocational, meaning they have another job outside of serving as the pastor or clergy for your congregation. > #1: Provide a special offering to bi-vocational pastors Not surprisingly, pastors list their need for support, as well as developing leaders to support the ministry, as primary concerns.Ĭombining the key takeaways of these studies with my experience in ministry, here are my thoughts on ways that your church can go about honoring pastors and clergy this month. Likewise, Lifeway Research released its “Greatest Needs of Pastors” study. In the “ Trends in the Black Church” report, Barna Research – in collaboration with Black Millennial Café and others – discuss how essential the pastor’s role is in the view of the congregation and those visiting the church. “Faith leaders hold multifaceted roles and are pivotal in driving engagement and community,” the report said. Givelify’s Giving in Faith report highlights their importance. Several key studies have all highlighted this expansive role of pastors and faith leaders. The pandemic, more than ever, has truly revealed the key roles pastors and clergy play in our churches and also our communities. We are finally able to now begin seeing the other side of this global pandemic. The last few years have been incredibly hard, but God has been good.Why are we giving honor, love, and appreciation to pastors? For many reasons, but here are two: October is also known more specifically as Pastor Appreciation Month in many circles. It’s the time for celebrating and honoring pastors during Clergy Appreciation Month. *Please feel free to download, print, and distribute Foundation resources (without altering them in any way besides adding your church/ministry name and address) that will help your United Methodist church or ministry promote your endowment/planned giving program through the Foundation.October has a special designation in the life of the church. Social Media Images for Posts and StoriesĬlick here to download all of these free resources using Dropbox.The media pack includes images for social media, emails, and announcement slides. We are blessed to serve and partner with pastors, churches, and ministries throughout the AWF Conference.Īs a small thank you, please feel free to download, use, and share the Pastor Appreciation Media Pack in your church during October and on Pastor Appreciation Day (Sunday, October 10).
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