Well, it’s here again. It’s October and every October has been designated “Pastor Appreciation Month.” It’s a wonderful time of year to bring some happiness and assurance to the one God has chosen to lead and feed your particular congregation. It’s a time to say “thank you for what you do all year long.” It’s a time to let them know just how, well, “appreciated,” they truly are.
For some reason this day of celebration often gets overlooked. Often times the month will pass by without anyone having remembered the special day. I’m sure several reasons can be cited for this: we just get busy with life; minutes turn into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, and pretty soon the month has slipped by. And rarely is the pastor going to mention it himself, I mean think about how that would come across. “Congregation, don’t forget to show me appreciation this month.”
Some have this concept that a pastor’s job is easy. They think that all they have to do is come up with material for a sermon on Sunday, material for a mid-week study or sermon, hang out with people and get free dinners, and simply have conversations all day. Well, I think this myth is finally beginning to disappear as more and more people are beginning to get just a glimpse as to what it is pastors actually do. I’ve used this old cliché many times and it suits the description of a pastor perfectly. Pastors are forced to “wear many hats,” I mean a lot of them. And the time put into coming up with a sermon, study lesson, presentation, guest preaching or speaking engagement, in themselves can be overwhelming.
Did you remember it was “Pastor Appreciation Month?” I have come up with a list, certainly not exhaustive, of simple and creative ways you can thank your pastor and show him (and his spouse if he’s married) appreciation for what he does for you and all the other members and/or attendees. I would also like to hear some of your ideas and experiences regarding this as well.
ONE: Create a Slideshow or a Video
This is an awesome way to capture memories that will last a life time that say, “Thank you pastor.” It doesn’t have to be movie length, it can be a ten minute clip of special times, perhaps set to fitting music. With today’s age of technology the church has started recording many church functions. If not, have people in the congregation offer special pictures or clips they may have taken with their cell phones over the course of the year.
Another thought that can be incorporated with this is to have various church members and/or attendees share a two to three minute testimony of how they have been blessed by the pastor and the church, maybe someone has a funny store that can be told and recorded. This video doesn’t have to be elaborate, and it allows the whole church an opportunity to be involved.
TWO: Social Media Implementation
In our society and culture social media is an exceptional way for promoting special events, such as Pastor Appreciation Month. Share this information. We have all learned by now that topics spread like wildfire on social media. Posts and pictures can be shared. Quotes that have stuck with you can be shared. It’s a simple but effective tool.
THREE: Provide Him With a Weekend Trip
A time where the pastor and their spouse can get away to have some time to themselves time is essential for keeping a proper balance of family and work demands. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, they will appreciate any special time they can have together.
FOUR: Gift Cards
This is a simple way to show appreciation. Give them a gift card to a restaurant or the movies. If they have children be sure and have someone available to watch the kids while they’re out.
FIVE: Present Him with a Plaque.
The presentation of a plaque by the elders on behalf of the entire church is another good idea. During service the pastor can be surprised by a brief pause in the service whereby a special plaque is presented in recognition of all the hard work he does every day of the year. This gives him a tangible item to hang in his office that will be a reminder and motivator for him in his continued work for the church.
SIX: A Sabbatical Period of Rest
I’m a firm believer in offering pastors sabbatical time. All throughout the year they are expected to carry out duties that are exhausting and time consuming. As I said earlier, they are expected to wear “many hats.” At any moment they are relied upon to be able to adapt to being pulled into many different directions. Think about it, between caring for and leading staff members, doing hospital visitations, counseling, performing weddings and conducting funerals and/or memorials, assisting people through a diversity of struggles, reading God’s Word for study and preparing sermons and lessons, as well as a host of other things. I think there are several times a year they should be given a week off. In addition, I think there are several times a year they should be given a month off. They need to disconnect from distractions. They need to renew themselves spiritually. They need time to refresh and study quietly on their own without interruption. There is someone on staff, or if the church is smaller there is someone in leadership, who is able to handle emergency and pastoral situations that may arise during the pastor’s time off. Make sure your pastor has the time to take care of himself spiritually, physically, and emotionally. He can’t effectively tend to the needs of others if he allows his own tank to run dry.
Of course there are many other ways to show a pastor appreciation. This is just a list of some of the more common, simpler, and important ways that I have found to be effective for me over my years in ministry. I’d love to hear some more ideas. What are some ideas you can come up with?*
*Some portions of this article come from ideas presented in “6 Ways You Can Show Your Pastor Appreciation This Month,” a blog by Kendal Drinkwine, 10-7-16 on vanderbloom.com.
