What Does A Pastor Do?

From "Leading Ideas" By Elizabeth Evans Hagan

I've been a part of several conversations lately with new church attendees and community members where I have been asked the question: "Now, I know you work on your sermons, but what do you do the rest of the week?"

It's a timeless question that generations of pastors before me and beside me have been asked and have answered each in his or her own way; for there is no rule book about how a pastor structures his or her day. It's usually based both on the personality of the pastor and expectations of the congregation. It's a unique job with some deadlines (Sunday is always coming, for example), but it is also a job with a lot of unspecified responsibilities that can be attended to at a pace according to congregational needs. I always say that no day of the week is ever the same, and I never have reason to get bored!

But these are some of the "doing" tasks that my last week has included:

• One-on-one meetings with parishioners going through times of crisis, including taking communion to a church member in the hospital
• One-on-one meetings with families or individuals interested in learning more about the church or becoming official members of the congregation
• Follow-up conversations or emails with visitors from Sunday morning
• Planning meetings and phone conversations with church leaders about new initiatives for growth in congregational life
• Attending to the administrative tasks of the church office by supervising two other staff members, overseeing communication coming from the church office, and planning the church calendar with the church administrator
• Attending to church outreach by updating the Facebook fan page, twittering about important events, working with church administrator to update contact list for weekly email, making sure the website is up to date, and of course blogging when new ideas come for posts
• Meeting with church members who come into the office to ask questions or say hello
• Representing the church at community functions
• Preparing for upcoming Bible studies
• Planning for worship and editing the bulletin
• Connecting with colleagues in the area for meals for shared learning and support
• And, of course, preparing for sermons by researching, meditating, and sitting still long enough for God to have the opportunity to form my thoughts in the direction of the message the congregation most needs to hear

And the list could go on. It also could record things that I wish I had more time for – additional parishioners I would like to have contacted, more study time I wished I had. When I think about what I do and don't, I always try to give myself grace to embrace the possibilities found in the next week.

While I can't answer the "What does a pastor do?" question for all my colleagues, know this: there's so much more to the pastoral life than what you see on Sundays. Sundays are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the focus tasks of our job.

Yet, I wouldn't have it any other way! I get surprised daily by something new. I am and will continue to be grateful for this wonderful opportunity to put my energy and time into an organization with a great future because, in the end, church life is not about the pastor. It's always about the congregation. This is why we work so hard. Pastors are just the catalyst for helping congregations reach their potential as we are transformed together into the community of faith that God would have us be.

Maybe, then, another good question for us to ask is: "What do congregation members do to enrich and support the lives of their faith community?"

Elizabeth Evans Hagan is pastor of Washington Plaza Baptist Church in Reston, Virginia. Hagan is an alumna of the Lewis Center's Lewis Fellows leadership development program for young clergy. This article originally appeared on her blog found at http://preacherontheplaza.wordpress.com.

Salem UMC Mission Team in Nashville TN

On Friday, I received word from the Tennessee Conference Disaster Coordinator, that our team had been reassigned to Dickson, Tennessee. Dickson of a town of just over 19,000 people 40 miles west of Nashville. Our team is staying at First United Methodist Church in Dickson, in the "Church Hospitality House. This year for the first time, many groups in the town are providing for us. Last night First UMC fed us supper, and tonight the local Rotary Club provided us with a BBQ feast. Every night a different group from this town is providing us with a meal. Yet the real blessing is in the ministry that is taking place here.

Each day, the fifteen of us split up into two groups. One group is working on a house that received three feet of water in the basement, which contained the kitchen and a living area. We are tearing out and reinstalling insulation, sheet rock, and a bathroom at this house. This lady works at a Psychiatric Hospital, and has provided lunch for our group each day. The Red Cross, and the Tennessee Conference are helping her with the cost of materials.

The second group is working on the home of a family of nine. Yes I said a family of nine. This family lost everything in the flood. Amazingly, this same family had lost everything a few years before to a tornado. They received some money from FEMA, that  they had used to purchase a lot on higher ground. Someone had then given them a 1970 model two bedroom mobile home. The father who is legally blind has taken the trailer and built around it, in an attempt to provide room for his large family.   

This family is in such need, their cabinets are empty, their living room is bare, and their children do not have beds. All the appliances in their trailer are original equipment from 1970, and show their age. The father apologized, when we purchased a $48.00 breaker box for him. He does not know that by the end of the week we plan to provide the children with beds, and possibly new appliances for their kitchen.

We welcome your continued prayers, and praise the Lord for the chance to serve Him in Tennessee.  

Blessings, Charles Schooler, Salem UMC

Evington, VA.

Welcoming Newcomers -- Recruiting Volunteers

Top 10 Learnings about Welcoming Newcomers -- By Keith Anderson – From Leading Ideas

Churches often define their success in welcoming newcomers by the number of people who become members of their church. At Redeemer we have shifted our focus to improving the quality of our welcome, and it feels like maybe we're on to something. We've found our way mostly through trial and error — and listening carefully to the feedback of our visitors and newest members. These are the top ten things we have learned about welcoming newcomers to our church over the last five years:

1. Everyone is different and nothing is ever straightforward. This is our mantra. There is no one pattern for the way people enter, engage, and join our congregation. Every person and every situation is different. We try to honor that and not insist on uniformity. This requires flexibility and improvisation on our part, but it enriches our understanding of welcoming and the beauty and diversity of the Body of Christ.
2. Expect new members. We used to wait until we had a critical mass of newcomers to schedule a day to welcome new members. Now, at the start of the year, we schedule two dates a year to welcome newcomers - one in the fall and one in the spring. This has helped us move from a mindset of "if people come" to "when people come." That approach has extended into Sunday mornings as well. We confidently expect that there will be someone new and plan accordingly.
3. Hold no classes. We don't have newcomers classes. Our only welcoming event is a newcomers brunch that we have a few weeks before welcoming new members in the spring and fall. The brunch is always a graceful event. Newcomers can meet each other and meet current members of the congregation. We find that the inculcation that congregations try to instill at newcomers classes happens more naturally and more fruitfully through conversation, visitation, involvement, and developing relationships. People don't want to hear about it; they want to experience it.
4. Maintain an expansive idea of community. You don't have to be a member of our congregation to be part of our community. Thanks to the internet and social media, people are part of our community long before they arrive at church — if they ever come. They have a sense of who we are, what we do, and how we live the Gospel through our website, Facebook Page and Sermon Blog.
5. Understand people's passions. Listen for the way God is calling people to live their faith — at work, home, and/or in the church. Set people free to follow God's call.
6. Enable people to participate right away. Our congregation used to have an unspoken waiting period for participation. People would regularly be members for months or years before being asked to take a leadership role. Now, we encourage people to get involved before they are members. We believe that you don't need to be a "member" before you can start living out God's calling in your life.
7. Know that it's not a failure if someone does not join. The end result of welcoming is not necessarily membership. If someone only comes for one Sunday, then we have ministered to them in some way. If people are with us for a while and decide not to join, we feel we've contributed to their discernment process. If you make welcoming about membership, it's a set up for disappointment. Not everyone will join, and there will never be enough new members. Make it about ministry instead and decide how you will measure success.
8. Expect that the individual will transform the institution, not the other way around. We have a dream that one day, when we tell the stories of our congregation, we won't tell time by when pastors came and left, but when people came to our church — not "And then Pastor Anderson was called...," but rather, "Then Karen and Katie joined the congregation...." We expect newcomers to transform us, not for the church to make everyone the same.
9. Everyone is a greeter. One of the best things we did to be more welcoming was no longer to have official greeters — those people churches place near the front door to welcome people. By designating certain people, it let everyone off the hook. Now, it's a shared responsibility. Every Sunday after church, as I greet people leaving the sanctuary, there are several members engaging visitors in conversation after church. It is a beautiful scene.
10. Decide to be assertive. There's always a fear that you will drive people away if you are too assertive. That's a risk we are willing to take. Except for one or two exceptions in five years, this has never been a problem. Indifference and indecisiveness are far worse than assertiveness.

Keith Anderson is pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Woburn, Massachusetts. He blogs at pastorkeithanderson.net, where this article first appeared.

Ministry Minute: Ideas for Recruiting Volunteers

n  Written by Sue Brage

Permalink: http://www.churchvolunteerdaily.com/?p=2390

Take a minute to invite someone into ministry... we make it easy! This unique resource is a great team activity for your next staff or leaders meeting! Simply follow the three steps below and you'll have everything you need to recruit new volunteers in a personal and creative way.

It seems like a no-brainer, but statistics show the number one reason people volunteer is because someone asked them! Here are 3 quick steps for inviting someone into ministry. Think of it as having a party - and your prospective volunteers are the very important guests...

Step 1 - The Guest List
Make a list of people with the right qualities. Need someone friendly? Organized? Someone tech-savvy?

Step 2 - The Invitation
When it comes to inviting people - get personal. A handwritten invitation or note will really get their attention! In your note, share how they will make a difference and describe why you enjoy serving. End with a personal invitation to meet up and talk about the possibilities! (Download our Ministry Minute invitation to use with your team.)

Step 3 - The Party - a face to face meeting
Be sure to follow-up to arrange a time to meet face-to-face and share what God is doing in your ministry, and how your guest could benefit from getting involved. If they are not ready to commit, invite them to a casual event where they could simply be around the people and see the ministry in action. There's nothing like experiencing ministry first-hand!

Tragedy in Japan: What can we do?

Like you, I have been watching with horror the news from Japan. I’ve also received feedback from a member of our family in Hawaii and from my mother who is attending a funeral in Los Angeles. In addition, several of my Facebook friends are reporting stories from relatives or friends in Japan.

So far, damage in Hawaii and on the West Coast seems moderate but the damage in Japan is far more severe. Over the next few days, I expect we will hear of considerably more destruction than is being reported now. Now, the danger of a nuclear meltdown seems likely. I can’t begin to imagine what that would do.

How can we help?

Because Japan is not a third-world country I anticipate they will have more specialized needs. I’m waiting to hear from UMCOR within the United Methodist Church and from other mission contacts as to what those needs are.

So, what should we do now?

Pray. We can pray for the people who are going through so much misery. We can also pray for God to guide our congregations for an appropriate response.

Special Offering. I would suggest giving a special offering this Sunday to store within your church until we hear more ideas. Within a few days, we should be receiving more information.

Email Suggestions. This is where all of us working together can help each other. Some of you are better at doing online research and some of you have great mission contacts of your own. Please find out what you can and offer suggestions over the next few days.

As I hear more ideas on how we can provide help, I will gladly share them.

I believe we are never stronger than when we reach out to help those caught in the grip of a disaster. May God guide us all as we seek to do our part to help those in need.

Psalm 56 has a verse that offers comfort in the midst of our tragedy. In the midst of his own tragedy David writes: “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” (Verse 3)

I pray that the people of Japan and all the rest of us will find God in the midst of our fear. May we feel God’s holy and protective presence in the midst of our anguish. May the people of Japan see in us the comforting hands and feet of God.

God bless, Larry

From UMC.org – An article from UMCOR our relief agency.

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5723451&ct=9172069&notoc=1

Ideas from Churches Across the District

From Salem UMC in Evington led by Rev. Chuck Schooler

Recently, I visited Salem UMC, in Evington, where Chuck Schooler is pastor. We were celebrating the open house for a new rotation model Sunday school. Several months ago, Chuck visited a workshop where he learned about Power Xpress, a rotation Sunday School curriculum sponsored by Cokesbury. Chuck came back fired up ready to give it a try but I had no idea just how determined he was.

The entire children's hall of this small church had been transformed to this new model. Inside there was:

·         Movie Theater complete with special seats, a raised floor and a popcorn machine.

·         Sports room with the walls painted with various favorite sport team logos.

·         Computer room filled with computer stations.

·         Craft room ready for and decorated to do almost any craft.

·         Science room with anything needed for experiments.

The rooms were creatively decorated and filled with hands on examples. I admit that my mouth was open and I was speechless at what this enterprising pastor and church had accomplished.

The church was full of children. Does that surprise you? When I asked Chuck how he managed to do all this, he smiled and said: "Larry, I just shared what I learned and asked people if they thought we could do it? God and the enthusiasm of others did the rest?"

From Bethesda UMC in Huddleston, led by Rev. Tammie Franklin

Last Sunday, I led a one day revival at Bethesda UMC in Huddleston where Tammy Franklin is pastor. I never heard of this but Tammy organized it because she found attendance dropped off at a typical revival after the first day. So, she decided to do it all within the one day time frame.

11:00 - First Revival service of worship followed by Lunch

Special music from a local group followed by the final revival message

This could also be a commitment Sunday where the emphasis is on celebrating the church's past and planning for the future.

From Lynchburg District Youth led by Shawn Kiger

I visited our District Youth retreat at the 4H Center near Smith Mountain Lake. I was there to serve communion to the leaders and participants. Not only did our youth have a great time but they were joined for the first time by youth from the Danville District. Because of their participation they were able to bring a dynamic speaker, Duffy Robbins, someone they could never afford without the extra help provided by Danville. In addition they had such a great experience working together they are going to do it again next year.

Doing projects together allows you to think and dream  bigger. How big is your dream?

Doing projects together requires skilled and enthusiastic teamwork. How good is your team?

From Bethlehem UMC in Concord led by Rev. Dan Dibble

We began a new youth revitalization project last week. Over several weeks, I put a WANTED poster in the bulletin for youth to assist me in presenting the message each week. The younger children already assist me in handing out sermon outlines and focus objects that they help me make.

The new youth group is very excited about becoming an important part of presenting the message.

Since we try to make our projects about Teams, they've already given themselves a team name.

The formation process has been:

Phase I: Promotion - Promote and organize to meet and discuss gifts and abilities within the team.

Phase II - Prepare - Meet for prayer, scripture readings, and reflection on the messages. 

Phase III - Present - Plan and present messages - INSIDE and OUTSIDE - using their gifts and abilities.

Four great examples of how God can work within us and stir up something new.

WSET - Worship Space Enhancement Team

Volunteer Expiration Dates by Dan Pezet

From "Leading Ideas"

Expiration dates are on all sorts of things and for good reasons. We can find them on loaves of bread, gallons of milk, and egg cartons. Expiration dates are on our driver's licenses, professional certifications, and even the President of the United States. These dates make sure things stay fresh, maximize effectiveness, and give us an opportunity to evaluate the need for change. And these are great reasons to put expiration dates on volunteer positions in the church.

Sometimes we put someone in a position and leave them there until they are used up. When volunteers are excited about doing good work for God, they begin like a freshly struck match. Their flame and energy are intense. Too often, though, we leave them burning in one spot for so long that their flame can sputter and die. Expiration dates can protect us from burning out volunteers.

Rotating fresh people into positions can achieve maximum effectiveness. Baseball coaches know how many pitches their pitchers can throw before they start getting tired. They have a whole crew of pitchers that they rotate in to keep them fresh and effective. Rotating volunteers in the church setting is just as important. It keeps the ideas fresh and the energy level high.

Rotating volunteers can also keep programs from getting stuck in ruts. In baseball, there are some situations when a left-handed pitcher can be more effective than a right-handed pitcher. The same is true in church work. Sometimes we need to change things to achieve our mission. Establishing a culture of rotating volunteers helps the church to be more prepared when changes become necessary.

Expiration dates are a form of checks and balances. An approaching expiration date is a wonderful opportunity to evaluate and to redirect. Every four years, we have the opportunity to evaluate the needs of our country as we decide who should be the President of the United States. When volunteers stay in one position too long, it becomes difficult to make necessary changes.

We tend to resist expiration dates because it is easier to let someone stay in one spot than it is to find and train a replacement. But it is well worth the effort. As leaders in the church, it is our duty to help people find meaningful ways to serve. And using expiration dates to allow more people to rotate into places of service gives the church community a broad expression of faith.

Dan Pezet is pastor of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Opelika, Alabama. He blogs at www.churchandtea.com.