June 18, 20007

“Pray for Pastoral Families on the Move”

This is the time of year when many of our clergy and their families are moving to new appointments. Some are starting their first appointment after seminary, some are moving yet again during their clergy career, and some are moving into retirement. My family and I have moved 9 times during my ministry, including moves from one house to another while serving the same parish. Everyone I know hates to move: it is hard work, it requires starting over in a new community, and it involves making a major transition in life. Moving is hard.

This appointment year was a hard year for both of our Cabinets here in Indiana. In both conferences we dealt all spring with an over-supply of clergy (more clergy guaranteed appointments than we had places). This over-supply is the result of several factors, including lots of newer younger clergy (that is a good thing), fewer clergy retiring early (probably also a good thing when it provides experienced clergy willing to serve), and more churches dropping back from full-time to part-time pastors (not a good thing for our clergy over-supply, but probably a right-sizing of clergy compensation for many of those churches). Lots of factors enter into this process, and it has been difficult to do our Cabinet work of guaranteeing every pastor a church and every church a pastor.

As the Cabinets worked all spring to make those appointments, we were acutely aware that every move means the disruption of a parsonage family and a parish. Most bishops and most superintendents actually lose sleep during appointment-making season because we agonize over trying to make the right matches, and we agonize over disrupting parsonage families and pastor-parish relationships. Now the moves are in process, pastors are preaching their first sermons in their new appointments, and families are on the move. I invite you to join me in praying for those pastoral families in transition:

O Lord, help us to be in ministry together,
and help us to build upon each other's foundation.
Let us proceed and succeed each other in ministry
with a deeper sense of appreciation.
May our ministries build and expand together,
may we be colleagues with one another;
May our people be blessed by our mutual efforts,
and may we treat each one as a sister or brother.
Lord, watch over those who are moving these days,
keep them safe and help them to adjust;
Since moving and packing is our Methodist way,
help them to move and to grow in Your trust.
Amen.

from Bishop Michael J. Coyner

Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church
"Making a Difference ... in Indiana
and around the world"

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