Why I Stay

 Recently an article has been making the social media rounds.  The article is written by a pastor who made the tough decision to leave the ministry.  At least for now.

I can relate to much of what my colleague writes.  Life is rough right now, in general.  People are ruder, more disrepectful, less willing to listen, and angry.  

In this climate, being a cleric can seem like an unthankful role.  Even the church is not immune from the divisions and the hostility.

So, why do I stay in the ministry . . . 


I stay because of a deep sense of being called by God to ordained ministry.

I stay because each visit matters to that individual.

I stay because (most days) I really enjoy being a priest.

I stay because of the people and the relationships that are formed.

I stay because I cannot see myself doing anything else.

I stay because I feel there is still something to learn . . . and to teach.

I stay because of the wonderful moments of baptizing babies and seeing two hearts unite as one in Holy Matrimony.

I stay because Jesus has changed my life and I want to share that with others.

I stay because I believe in the local congregation.

I stay because being connected with other followers makes me a better follower.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Financial Giving **sermon for 21 September 2024**

             Last week we talked about Witness, about sharing the great news of what God has done in and for us in Jesus Christ.   During the service 12 -16 cards were completed. 0 – 1 said they were not yet ready to commit. 0 – 1 indicated that we were not ready yet to witness, but maybe we would someday 0 – 3 of us said “not now, but we want to with all our heart” 5 – 6 responded that they will share their faith sometimes 7 – 6 said they will witness frequently 4 – 9 committed themselves to look for daily opportunities to share their faith daily 6 – 3 of us determined to make witness a priority in their lives, and that they would pray for those who are seeking and look for opportunities to invite others to join us in church Today we are going to talk about financial giving.   Financial giving is the fifth aspect of growing and dedicated followers of Jesus.   Pastor and author Bob Crossman believes that our check...
Read more

September 2024 Lion's Roar

 I pray that you had a wonderful summer with lots of fun and time with loved ones.  Hopefully we all come back to the school year routine all ready and refreshed. As things start to fall into a new pattern, it is also important to not get so busy that you and I do not take time out for what truly matters.   Spending time with family and friends.   Deepening our relationship with God and with others at St. Mark’s.   Loving our neighbors through CHOW, Canteen, and other outreach ministries. If it has been a while, we’d love to see you again at St. Mark’s this fall.   Nursery and Sunday School will start back up on September 8 th .   We’ll also have our monthly youth group gathering that afternoon from 4p-6p.   A new Bible study will begin on Tuesday, September 10 th with our friends at All Saints’.   Our women’s brunch bunch will also kick off on the 10 th at 8:30a in the Undercroft. If you have only been attending occasionally, this mi...
Read more

Bread, bread, and more bread.

The Revised Common Lectionary is in what my friend, the Reverend Tim Schenck, calls "breadtide."  That is to say that for the past few weeks, and for the next two weeks, the readings find us in John 6.  This is one of Jesus' extended "I am" dialogues in John's Gospel. Bread is a near universal. Almost every time and culture has some form of bread.  There is Greek Pita.  There is the Indian Naan bread.  There is First Nations fry bread.  There is Italian Scali bread.  And the list goes on and on and on.  Bread is a key part of the Western diet especially. The commonplaceness of bread makes it easy to visualize and to understand Jesus' words.  Jesus is telling us that He is as important and as nourishing to us as a slice of Wonder bread.  Wonder, however, can only take care of our physical needs.  Jesus, as the living and true bread, can also meet our spiritual need for belonging, healing, and forgiveness. Jesus promises that those wh...
Read more