I am a soon to be Presbyterian Pastor.
Just about to finish seminary and looking at an early June call date, this ENFP husband and father of two is moving into the call that God placed before me (and my family) fifteen years ago. I am excited by the possibilities, and concerned. I try to read around the blogosphere and see what I can find out about who’s calling who. Recently, I read this post on our most honorable high moderator in charge’s blog (that’s MHHMC, for short) and I lost my breath. It’s a post whose content is in the comments. To the question, what does the PC(USA) offer first call pastors:
Terri writes:
“I have found that Presbyteries in particular are not excited about young clergy–there are often only a few of us, and we tend to shake things up (either via worldview or by suggesting new ways of being covenant community that are not the way we’ve always done it). We are often treated like interns rather than colleagues. And, if you are a young WOMAN, it’s 100 times harder, I think, because then everyone wants to comment on how much easier it would be to take you seriously/get a job/preach well/whatever if only you change your hairstyle/wear different clothes/look older.”
While I’m neither 25 nor a woman…I empathize. When I was in my twenties (a while ago), I remember the way I felt in the denomination…discomfort, alienation, etc. Take heart, it slowly gets better.
Adam comments on the nature of the timing of the Ordination Exams (which is a whole issue unto itself):
“Ords timing. If you fail even one ord, you’re not likely to be able to circulate your PIF until March 1. Two months to find a call before getting kicked out of seminary housing is not healthy and plain silly. 40+ % of folks fail one ord. Almost half of our seminarians are beginning the call process with wacky timing. It just doesn’t work.”
I hear you, bro. I have to take Polity in January. We are due for reformation; the kind of reformation that encourages healthy growth and not secession.
ryan writes:
* What if anything can, should we do?
We must stop fearing death of denomination and cease worshiping the idol of money and property. We got to get out there and plant worshiping communities that are loving and minister to the communal context to which folks are called to.
Ryan couldn’t be more correct. In the third chapter of our Book of Order, the observant reader runs across this:
“The Church is called to undertake this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.” (G-3.0400)
I think that we can carry this risk out in planting worship communities within our existing worship communites…but that’s altogether another thought.
MHHMC’s thread is not without hope. There is a variety of great witness. Nothing in this process can prevent the need of first call pastors to put 100% into the search process, pursue that which God calls us to pursue and not wait for the computer to create “a match” The call of the young and slightly older than young first call pastor is daunting. BUT I trust God. Even after seminary. The Lord has not left me and my family to starve, but instead continues to speak as I struggle to listen Jesus leads as a wander. Jesus guides as I question.
To my brothers and sisters who are in my same boat, I am praying for you. I am working on a Jedi/Pastor post in which I’ll explore some of these issues again. I really shouldn’t watch Star Wars, but what can I say? My son love it almost as much as me.
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