It is not too late! Now is a great time to express (or continue to express) appreciation to our pastors and their families. While we appreciate ministry families all through the year, October is an important time set aside to intentionally communicate that appreciation in tangible ways. (For extra credit, any guesses on what year this SDB Pastors Conference picture is from?)
The past year has been incredibly difficult for all of us—especially our pastors and their families. Let’s be sure to finish out October strong with a flourish of appreciation. Here are a few reminders that I find helpful:
- Say It. Tell your pastor how they have encouraged life change. Pastors invest deeply in sermon preparation, teaching, visits, correspondence, prayer and more—but they often have no idea of how much impact that investment is having. October is a great time to let your pastor know what has changed in your life over the past year thanks to the pastor joining God in His transformational work. Maybe you can even share about how you are discipling someone thanks to how your pastor has been discipling you.
- Give it. You know what your pastor and their family appreciate. Be creative in coming up with ways to say thank you as individuals and as a church. Think about how your pastor soaks in encouraging words and gifts, and communicate in those ways.
- Think Inside the Box. We do not necessarily need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of opportunities to glean ideas about how to bless our pastors. One place to start is a click on 50 Ways to Bless Your Pastor. This link provides ideas that might be just the right fit with your pastor. John Pethtel, SDB Director of Church Development and Pastoral Services is also a great resource of how to bless pastors in October and throughout the year.
Speaking of John Pethtel, you can check out his 2021 Pastor Appreciation Month 2-minute video here:
