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Lately, I've heard more than the usual number of stories of congregations attempting to balance the budget by cuts in personnel expenses. In some instances, no raise for the coming year was given. In others, cost savings were enacted through reductions in the salary package---decreasing the mileage reimbursement or limiting health care and retirement benefits. And in some cases, there was no attempt to guild the message of discontent. The salary itself was slashed, sometimes substantially. When this happens to you, the blow to your sense of call is substantial. The message conveyed by such actions seems pretty clear: The people of this congregation, at least those who were involved in making this decision, do not appreciate your ministry in their midst and think it is time for you to go. As you lie awake at night and consider what you would like to say in response, it is not difficult to put together a list of reasons why their decision is wrongheaded, if not outright evil. The list probably includes some of these:
So, what are your options? Yes, you ought to begin exploring the possibilities of finding another call. If things have gotten to this point, it may be that you have not been able to acquire —or no longer have--- the relationship capital needed for effective ministry. It is, at any rate, important not to feel trapped in a situation where you feel abused. However, I don’t feel that is your only option. Clearly, their decision to hurt you financially, while couched in “making ends meet” language, reflects that there is a crisis in the congregation, and, as you have undoubtedly heard before, a crisis represents not only danger but opportunity. A decision to cut back on personnel costs indicates that some are very fearful about the future of their congregation. When people are anxious, they feel the need to take immediate action. They see everything in black and white and want to affix blame. However, if the process can be slowed down and some degree of rationality restored, that same energy can be directed into more creative ways of addressing the problem. It may be the first indication that the congregation is finally beginning to recognize that they will have to consider changes. Here are some things that you might suggest to help them see that there are more than one way of addressing this problem:
Some of the above may or may not be feasible in your situation. You (and your congregation) may have other ideas. The important thing is to begin generating a list of alternatives so as not to be caught in the squeeze of anxiety-driven thinking. If you can get people to come together around the need you all agree on---the need for the congregation to adapt to changing circumstances---you are on your way to using a crisis to create opportunity. EAP This might be a good time to remind you that if you are a participant in The Concordia Plan or The ELCA Board of Pensions, you have an EAP (employee assistance program) that provides you with five to six counseling sessions per year at no cost to you. To seek pre-approval for these sessions and/or to find a provider in your area, you can call 866 726-5267 (LCMS) or 866 391-3522 (ELCA). Images of Pastors in the Media For a long time, it has seemed to me that realistic depictions of clergy in literature were few and far between. Either ministers were portrayed as self-righteous hypocrites (the favorite media image) or as so hopelessly saccharine and pious as to be unreal. Recently, three books have come to my attention, which have caused me to re-assess my opinion.
Barbara Brown Taylor in Leaving Church, has written some of the most beautiful descriptions of the joys of parish ministry that I have ever read---before also writing about the feelings and frustrations that led to her decision to leave parish ministry. You will find much here that will remind you of why you are a pastor---and much that will lead you to wonder about your own path in ministry. And, for those who still prefer the unrealistic images, it is worth noting that the movie Raising Helen has a Lutheran pastor in the role of a romantic lead. A few years ago, a book titled, Everything I Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten made quite a splash by showing that the simple rules of childhood are often quite profound. Leadership Weekly used a similar approach, drawing lessons from the story of Noah: 1. Don't miss the boat. In Christ's Service, Roger Kruger This e-mail newsletter is an endeavor of Partners in Caring, Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc. I envision it as a way to share ideas, resources, and conversation about the joys and struggles of ministry. I welcome your input. Feel free to pass it on to friends. If you wish no longer to receive copies of this newsletter, please reply with “unsubscribe.” |
Defending Against Financial Bullets
OK. Now that you have your list and feel a little better, having justified your victim status, I would suggest you throw it away. While all of the above may be true to one degree or another, it will not help you at all in your current situation. If you expect your congregation to immediately fall on their knees and repent because you have named their sin or showed that you are ready to fight, you are not living in the same world I am. 
Gilead: A Novel, by Marilynne Robinson, is in the form of a letter from John Ames, a 76-year-old preacher, from Gilead, Iowa, to his seven year old son (the result , the blessings of a second marriage. He reflects on his ancestors, on the relationships of fathers and sons, the part that faith and prayer plays in every life, and the challenge of dealing with failure. The year is 1956, so the book is perhaps more indicative of parish ministry in a bygone era than of the challenges faced by parish pastors today, but nonetheless offers food for thought.
Richard Lischer in Open Secrets: a Memoir of Faith and Discovery, describes his experiences as a young pastor in the late 60s, making the transition from the ivory tower of seminary (Concordia, St. Louis) to the realities of life in a small congregation in southern Illinois. Most pastors who either began their ministry in a small town/rural setting or have continued serving in small congregations will easily identify with the characters and challenges as well as the adjustments Lischer describes as he learned how to become a pastor.