We live in an age of distrust and broken community. Even our churches are often distrustful of each other or see each other in competition with each other. One of the ways that we can experience our oneness in Christ is by celebrating our gifts of ministry as a community. I will express this as a Presbyterian, but it can easily be done in other denominations and ecumenically. When the presbytery gathers for its meeting, it would strengthen our bonds as a community if we would occasionally take time to celebrate the anniversaries of individual clergy among us. Consider the possibility of identifying the ten year anniversary of a clergy person and lifting that up at one of our regional meetings. Invite some people who had been touched in various ways by his or her ministry to testify to the impact of that ministry. Develop a liturgy that would include a reaffirmation of one’s call to ministry to be included in the service.
Another way to counter the loneliness of ministry would be to have denominational staff identify the anniversary of a pastor’s entrance into the presbytery and give them a call. Express your appreciation for their ministry, invite them to share some of the highlights that stand out for them, and recall some highlights of their service in presbytery. It is rare that we have a chance to reflect on our own ministry with someone who understands what we are doing. What you are doing is reinforcing our connection with each other.
It would also be important for the appropriate body in the regional expression of the faith to pay attention to the anniversaries of the judicatory staff and celebrate that event in a public way. People whose call leads them to serve the church at the judicatory level do not have a congregation with whom they relate. Occasional celebration of their anniversaries could be empowering.
