Pastor's Prayers

 September 27, 2021

Pray for your pastors! This morning I was talking with pastor Joe about a funeral service we will officiate together. I have this single service, plus will be filling in preaching in Dunkirk this Sunday. Joe has this funeral, two other funerals, two weddings, and one person where the family is making a decision as to whether it’s time to end life support. Did I mention he is also preaching Sunday? I’ve had busy weeks as a pastor, but the only time I came close to this kind of schedule was years ago when I had five funerals in seven days. 

I am so very grateful to have had the privilege of being invited into the holy ground of grief and joy, funerals, and weddings and baptisms. I am also grateful now to be retired and living at a slower pace. Having been there, I know at least some of the challenges pastors face. I never had to deal with the societal shut down of COVID which ramped up responsibilities and challenges exponentially. I didn’t have to deal with the ubiquitous and invasive technology that is inundating our families and kids with everything from bullying to pornography. Pastors today have to navigate raging seas that were in my time merely troubled waters. 

I am grateful to have a pastor of integrity and passion for Christ matched with a disciplined and agile mind and a heart for people. So tonight I pray for pastor Joe, and invite you to pray for your pastor. Speak words of encouragement to him or her. Your pastor may be on the verge of collapsing under the burden of caring for you. Please, please, pray for your pastor tonight!