The 10 Commandments
for a New Ministry
Commandment
1:
Pray for Jackie daily. Hers is a big job with huge expectations and a lot of
stress. If you pray for her, it will prepare your heat to receive the message
God has for you through her.
Commandment
2:
Be up front. If you have constructive advice for our new rector, give it to her
directly. She will appreciate your candor, and it will help her adjust to us
more smoothly.
Commandment
3: Keep your expectations reasonable. Our new priest has many gifts, but
like all of humanity she is not perfect. She is also not a miracle worker and
cannot solve all problems overnight.
Commandment
4: Remember
the concept of team ministries. In addition to ordained priests, we have
Wardens, Vestry, and Transition Team members whose unique gifts provide
leadership for the church. In concert with the priest, this is the team of
people that God has sent to do His work.
Commandment
5: Let
her talk about where she came from. Her experiences will enrich us and inform
our wisdom as well as open a window to her soul.
Commandment
6: Give
praise and feedback liberally and regularly. In the course of her work, she
will have plenty of doubts. Phone her. Write a note. Tell her how much you
appreciate her.
Commandment
7: Remember
the she has a life apart from the congregation. The church can soak up all the
priest’s time and energy, if she lets it. Please understand if your rector
can’t attend every committee meeting.
Commandment
8: Remember
why we called her. She is a spiritual leader, not a building manager.
Commandment
9: If for any reason, you have doubts
about her leadership, pray. Ask God to open your heat and to make you a source
of strength for her as she fulfills her call to His service.
Commandment
10:
Love her, good sermons and as well as head-scratchers. Her call is a
covenant. She will try to keep up her end of the bargain, and we must adjust,
learn, and grow with her. If we do so, we will have many happy years together.
The aboveTen Commandments are
adapted from an article by The Rev. Dr. Terry Swicegood as he left an interim
ministry at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. A
Transition Team member, Bill Hannett, bought this to our attention at St.
David’s DeWitt.
