Of the path God has called me on as a Minister of Word and Sacrament – A PASTOR – God has a way of bringing me back. And such was the case during the very busy weeks of Advent and Christmas. During my after-Christmas vacation I had in hand a book to read by Eugene Peterson “The Pastor.” God used the words of this book to remind me once again of the absolute privilege and joy in being a pastor. I was reminded that it has a great deal to do with how you “see” the congregation God has entrusted to your care. The words of Pastor Irene, quoted by Dr. Peterson, were especially meaningful….
“I want to be a patient pastor. I want to have ears to hear and eyes to see what God is doing and saying in their lives. I don’t want to judge them in terms of what I think they should be doing. I want to be a witness to what God is doing in their lives, not a schoolmistress handing out grades for how well they are doing something for God. I don’t want to conceive of my life as a pastor so functionally that the mystery gets squeezed out of both me and the congregation.”
To be such a pastor in the days ahead that God grants to me is my prayer.
Pastor Ron
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