A Prayer for the Pastors

Here’s a Prayer for the Pastors
All the Pastors
The ones who feel heard
and the ones who don’t

The ones who are ready to quit
and the ones who left years ago…quietly…without any recognition
Or maybe without apologies or healing
God knows your work and calls it good

Here’s a prayer for the pastors who were told suck it up buttercup
and the ones who are faithfully, quietly serving–without any fanfare or anything close to a living wage
May justice flood down like water

Here’s a prayer for the bivocational pastors
The stretched thin sandwich generation or parental parents
the disabled or otherwise doing too much pastors
the am-I-worthy-because-I’m working four things but none-of-them-technially-count-as-a-call pastors
May God bless all the kinds of your work

Here’s a prayer for the pastors–who know every situation is different
who won’t speak their hurt in public, because it crosses too many boundaries
But it’s there

And for the pastors–for whom, its less specific
It is just the quiet knowledge–that the profession is fading
and that if there was a will, things might be sustainable
..but everyone seems to instead wring their hands, and talk about the beloved buildings…and Sunday Schools that can no longer exist and sports on Sunday
May God hold you in the palm of God’s hand

Here’s a prayer for the pastors
who are trying to set boundaries
trying not to be caught up in all the things they could be doing
and trying to figure out what they should and shouldn’t be doing
Here’s a prayer for the juggling pastors
Jesus calls you to do what you can and also give you room to rest

Here’s a prayer for the pastor
Who is not Jesus, but is trying to serve
the faithful pastor who is trying to see both
the church as it is..and as it is forming to be
God bless you pastor
and God bless your people
May you have a good ministry
And may you stop when you need to
Here’s a prayer for all the unique pastors
Whoever you are, wherever you are

May you know that your ministry matters
Traditional, Nontraditional, Parish or Beyond
It all counts, I believe you are called by God,
By Name
And it all counts, and I am praying for you.

Amen.

Feel free to use/share/adapt with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta at Katyandtheword