From The Rector: Pastoral Ministry
Almost twenty years ago, I became an Episcopalian. And very quickly, my priest told me that I needed to be a priest. And this presented me with something of a dilemma; I had just graduated from seminary and had decided in my last year that I was not going to seek ordination. I was looking at PhD programs with the thought that I would enjoy teaching on the college level. But she was so convinced of a calling for me that she convinced me to at least investigate whether I might be called by doing various tasks of ministry that made me a little uncomfortable. In a very short time, she had me serving liturgically, teaching, and preaching. But of all the tasks of ministry that made me uneasy, chief among them was pastoral ministry. I had an almost phobic reaction to reaching out to sick and suffering people. But no matter, my priest was soon bringing me along to hospitals and treatment centers to visit with sick and suffering. I watched how she did it. And then she sent me off to do it by myself. And oddly enough, over the years pastoral ministry has become one of my favorite parts of my vocation. And since I believe that ALL members of the church are ministers of the church, we are all called upon pastoral at times. So, for all of those who are a little afraid of reaching out to people who are sick, grief-stricken, or have otherwise experienced trauma, here are a few things I have learned over the years.
Your ministry is needed. There are a lot of people who are suffering these days. And even though I’m happy to help in any way I can, I don’t know every person in need in the greater Columbus area. And there are many times that you are in a better position to offer love than me simply because you already have a relationship with someone, and I don’t.
Just showing up is a huge ministry. Since there are so many people who are uncomfortable in being with those who suffer, our taking the time to be there means the world to people in need. Human beings are not meant to suffer alone. And whenever we take the time to show up in their time of need, it shows that they are still a part of a community that cares.
You don’t have to have the right words of comfort. This is one of the most important things that I have learned. Forget about all the stock phrases that we have all learned to offer people dealing with trauma. In the end, people who are suffering don’t really care about what most of us have to say anyway. What they remember is that we were there for them in their time of need... not any of the things that were said.
Concrete acts of love are important. One of my former parishioners once told me that after her husband passed away, some of his friends made sure that her driveway was always plowed and her sideways were always shoveled during those first few months after his death during a snowy winter. She will never forget that little bit of love.
Pastoral ministry is not some strange and mysterious thing. It is also not nearly as scary as many people seem to think it is. It is a just a matter of showing up and being kind. That’s it. We are all called to pastoral ministry in some small way because we are all human beings. And if you are interested in getting more involved in the pastoral ministry of St. Luke’s, please take the time to contact Wayne Piper. He will be more than happy to let you know about the various pastoral opportunities in our own faith community. Don’t be afraid of being pastoral. You don’t need a clergy collar or a theology degree. You just need a loving and generous spirit and a willingness to serve.
The Reverend Michael J. Ralph