Pastoral ministry is great and important work—not usually the sort of work this world honors, but the labor of love, the patient perseverance that God honors and blesses. Pastoral ministry often happens in ways that are hidden from human sight, ways that are not revealed until the next generation or the generation after that, or perhaps only in the light of eternity.
When you don’t see the results of your efforts, please remember that the one who plants is often not the one who harvests. In nearly four decades of parish ministry, in ways beyond enumeration I was the beneficiary of the efforts of those who came before me. The seeds that they planted in their generation came to fruitful maturity in my ministry, but if they had not done what they did, I never would have seen what I saw.
As you go about the work of sermon preparation and preaching, worship planning and leading, class preparation and teaching, meeting deadlines of every description, dealing with staff concerns, addressing relational issues in the congregation, helping people handle life crises and calamities, visiting the sick in the hospital and the home and the nursing home, rejoicing at the birth of a baby or the new birth of a believer in holy baptism, helping dying people face the facts of their condition with the eyes of faith in Christ, walking with grieving families through their pain and sadness, helping couples prepare for the great adventure of marriage, addressing the moral issues that are so rampant in our society, discipling seekers and reaching out to unbelievers, working with lay leadership, dealing with the church budget, representing Christ in your community, enduring all those evening meetings—all the while trying to manage your own household well and trying to take care of yourself—know this:
You are doing great and important work. You are making a Christ-like difference in this world and for eternity. You are touching lives with the truth and love of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your faithful ministry.
“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). He who called you is faithful, and He will do it. God bless you and keep you safe and strong in His loving care.
Photo courtesy of Elisa Schulz Photography
Rodney Otto - November 4, 2024
My mentor was Paul Koehnecke at Trinity in St Joe.
He & Edna befriended us in our second parish in Bridgman. Wonderful memories from 1973 to 1981.
Rev. Dr. Rodney & Phyllis Otto