This past weekend I had a wonderful experience that created an idea about how congregations can affirm God’s call to ministry. I was attending my 50th high school reunion and a member of my class who attends the local Presbyterian church from which I came, asked if I could be invited to preach. It was a great experience to return and share with the people who had nurtured me in childhood and shaped me as I moved towards ordination. It caused me to think about how a congregation could offer that type of affirmation to others who grew up or were connected with their congregation and are ordained.
The idea is simple. First make a list of those in the ordained ministry who have been part of your congregation as children, youth, or even in a previous career. You might also identify former pastors who have now moved on to other churches or even have retired. Next, look at your church year and identify some Sundays where a guest preacher might be appropriate. If you have lots of names, you might want to spread this out over more than a year.
Since pastor’s schedules are often crowded, pick one name and clear a date with that person before moving on to the next date. When you make the invitation, remind them of their connection with the congregation. if there are some who can share a couple of personal memories that would be wonderful. Tell them that you wish to celebrate their call to ministry by inviting them to preach at your church. Ask them to include some reflections on their experience of their call as they speak to the congregation. If you are willing to have a congregational meal or special Sunday School class on that same weekend, you might want them to explore the meaning of call more thoroughly at a congregational gathering. For those who were former pastors, you might want to ask them to reflect on how God worked in his/her life during the time at the congregation and since then.
What you are doing over a series of experiences, is involving the whole congregation in exploring the meaning of God’s call and how the congregation has been part of hearing God’s call in several lives. Since Reformed faith holds that not only ordained pastors but all lay people are called by God through their baptism, you might want to have some other experiences throughout the year exploring the meaning of baptism and call in other professions.
I can assure you that the invitation to clergy who were reared in your congregation will be a positive affirmation in their lives. It could also be a very enriching time in the life of your congregation.
