Comments for Pool of available ministers mismatched to churches’ needs at http://www.pres-outlook.org , comment 1 to 5 out of 5 comments http://www.pres-outlook.org Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:52:37 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.pres-outlook.org/news-and-analysis/1-news-a-analysis/8776-pool-of-available-ministers-mismatched-to-churches-needs-.html#comment-4651 Change happens when the money dries up. We're close. Perhaps we will change before the Parousia. - Vern Farnum Thu, 14 May 2009 14:12:44 +0100 http://www.pres-outlook.org/news-and-analysis/1-news-a-analysis/8776-pool-of-available-ministers-mismatched-to-churches-needs-.html#comment-4648 Just a couple of questions one might ask are: (1) Is God calling too many clergy or do we not have enough viable churches? (2)Is deployment of clergy or of finances holding up growth? - Linda Post Tue, 12 May 2009 09:24:06 +0100 http://www.pres-outlook.org/news-and-analysis/1-news-a-analysis/8776-pool-of-available-ministers-mismatched-to-churches-needs-.html#comment-4646 With 31-plus years of pastoral ministry experience (with hopefully some evidence of growth and maturity in Christ … ) and with two years of interim college chaplaincy, I find myself waiting, wondering, pondering what God has in store next. At (age) 61, churches practice polite, subtle age discrimination, not wanting to risk a short pastorate. I understand this. If I were on a PNC being bombarded by PIFs, mine would be the first cut. Experience, maybe even some wisdom, is great but it’s a church’s market and there is a plethora of outstanding young adults competing for good situations. … Who wants to do a “do-over” so soon? It’s an interesting place to be at this time in the economy. Come July 1, unless the Spirit moves quickly, I will be unemployed, churchless. Can’t afford to retire and don’t want to anyway. The logical next step is interim ministry, and that sounds kind of exciting — mobile ministry. The call to serve is still strong. …I do believe God isn’t through with me yet and I’m still pumping iron and jogging. So it’s exciting and a little scary to walk by faith after always being employed since I was 17. Whatever the future holds, I know God’s blessings are portable — they continue to follow and pursue me all the days of my life. … - Al Masters Mon, 11 May 2009 13:24:42 +0100 http://www.pres-outlook.org/news-and-analysis/1-news-a-analysis/8776-pool-of-available-ministers-mismatched-to-churches-needs-.html#comment-4645 Just finished reading (this article) and am appalled. I understand younger ministers thinking this way, but we are expected to grow in our understanding! Where does the idea of the word called come into play? In 1955 I graduated from seminary and expected to go from one size congregation to a larger one. I grew up in a large congregation in Tampa, Fla. I started out in a multi-church field in a rural community. Ten I moved to a single congregation in a rural community. In 1966 I as faced with a dilemma: a two-church field in a mountain community issued me a call. Even though I knew it was professional suicide, the call was too great to turn down. It was one of the most difficult challenges of my ministry, but the most satisfying. … The other side of the coin is : the church doesn’t know how to deal with the word call. I think that is one of the problems with that article — the analysis is correct, but the roll of a CALL for the pastor and church is left out. … As I said earlier, ministers are expected to grow in their understanding of the church and also the meaning of the word call. Shouldn’t the local church and other leaders learn what the word call means? If the Presbyterian Church is to survive, we need to have a better understanding of what being the church is all about. - James N. Murray Mon, 11 May 2009 13:18:52 +0100 http://www.pres-outlook.org/news-and-analysis/1-news-a-analysis/8776-pool-of-available-ministers-mismatched-to-churches-needs-.html#comment-4644 The core of the matter of clergy disribution and employment patterns is that the current call/placement system is one designed for a pre-industrial/18th century concept of ministerial call and orientation to ministry. One where clergy stayed in one location for a career, spouses did not work outside the home, and the assumption was that the church-pastor relationship is like a marriage, until death-due-part. It is far past time that the current assumptions of a "full-time installed" placement be replaced with a structure of a rolling contractual relationship between clergy and local church. Where every 1,3 or 5 years the contract between clergy and church is reviewed, terms modified, nature of call/placement is opened for re-evaluation by the clergy/church/presbytery. Much like what happens in all other placement agreements other than the full-time installed placement. Gives both the pastor and church flexibility to respond to changing family, economic, life-cycle issues. And Yes, the 700 pound elephant in the room must be faced. The PCUSA suffers from an imbalance of inventory (square footage/churches) to users or customers of what we have to sell. In the next five years at least 30-50% of all active worshiping churches will either need to merge, share resources, union in way, or close. Those are the facts of the market place. The PCUSA is in the process of downsizing no matter if one admits it or not. Presbyteries, churches, Louisville, Seminaries are running out of money and resources to do as was done in the 1950/60s. Some one needs to get that memo. - P.W. Gregory Mon, 11 May 2009 08:58:02 +0100