Learning a New Rhythm

For a little over 36 years I have served the Church as pastor of congregations.  To be sure, over those years I also have done other things:  Fire Department chaplain, college instructor in philosophy, Stated Clerk, and many community activities where I've lived.  However, the thing that has been consistent in my vocation has been serving as a pastor.  I have loved doing that... at least most of the time! :-)  What I know is that when you are a pastor, your primary focus is on preparing to lead folks in the worship of God on Sunday mornings.  Other things come and go - weddings, funerals, pastoral visits, crises, leaky roofs, boiler problems, etc., etc. - but that Sunday morning thing comes around every week... week in and week out.  And at least for me, that has led to a definite rhythm of my weeks.  I know each day where I'd like to be in terms of finishing the worship liturgy, writing my sermon, selecting hymns, and putting the bulletin together.  That rhythm affected and defined my work schedule, my devotional life, my time for study and meditation, and time for writing.

Now, however, for the first time, I am serving in a larger Council of the Church - as the Stated Clerk/Communicator for the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse - and things are different.  I absolutely love my new position!  Yet it is a change for me... not just a geographical change (I've never lived in the Northeast before), and not just a change in presbyteries and synods, but a change in how I structure my weeks.  As a result, I'm having to adjust to "Learning a New Rhythm."  No longer does the press of an approaching Sunday drive me to my books, to writing, to prayer, to reflection, to wrestling with biblical texts.  Yet what I am doing is so clearly ministry, and is a ministry I am enjoying to the fullest.  It's just that there's this different rhythm to my life and my work now.

Change is good... even for someone my age! :-)   And what change can do is to be that impetus to find our ways through life when we are "Learning a New Rhythm."  It's not a bad thing at all.  It's just, well, "different."  And so I'm adjusting to find my way into a new normal, a new routine, a new rhythm for praying, meditating, Bible reading, study, writing, and being in ministry with others.

Pastor as Physicians' Assistant

There is a wonderful Facebook page by a group known as Radio Free Babylon.  I'm not sure who they are or where in the world they got their name, but they do an almost-daily cartoon - always just four panels long - entitled "Coffee with Jesus."  It's a dialogue that different individuals have with Jesus.  I thought today's was particular insightful, especially for those of us who are pastors... but feel free to see yourself in this as well!

Pastor:  "Back to back appointments today, Jesus.  There are so many hurt and lonely people out there."

Jesus:  "Sure are, so let's go be a friend to the lonely and heal some hurts."

Pastor:  "This is serious business, Jesus!  It weighs on me!  I feel so... responsible."

Jesus:  "Just think of yourself as the one taking their vital signs before the physician steps into the room."


Being a pastor is serious work, and it sometimes feels heavy... very heavy.  But it's important for me to keep perspective of who I am and of Who is doing the real work in people's lives.

It reminds me of an interview I read years ago about the now-late Brazilian Archbishop Dom Helder Camara.  He had become fairly well known as a strong advocate for helping the poor and seeing the Church as Christ's instrument to bring relief to the suffering and good news to those in need.  He had been invited to travel to London to receive some prestigious award.  The interviewer asked him how he felt about this honor.  He replied that he always viewed himself as having a simple calling:  being a donkey for Jesus.  The interviewer was confused and surprised by this response - understandably so!  Dom Helder continued:  "On Palm Sunday, the donkey was the one who brought Jesus to the people.  I just want to be Jesus' donkey."

Again... an important and helpful perspective on who I am and what it is I'm truly called to do and be.