Please Join Us in Thanking All Faith Leaders During Clergy Appreciation Month in October
I began collecting crosses when I served ELCA Global Mission. I found it fascinating how various cultures portrayed this symbol of redemption. For instance, in Liberia, bullet casings from the civil war, symbols of only death, are pounded into crosses, which is a sign of death leading to life. In Puerto Rico, where Epiphany (the coming of the Magi) ranks up there with Christmas and Easter, crosses are often embellished with three kings.
So, it came as no surprise while in parish ministry, I would often enter my office and find members explaining my crosses to guests. Kelly, served through Mosaic at HomeⓇ shared living, visited with particular frequency. “Pastor,” she would say, “Tell the story of this one again!”
How touching when Kelly delivered a gift at my farewell. “Open it!” she announced excitedly. “It’s a cross. It’s got little charms—an angel and stuff—on it for good luck!”
But, what she said next delivered quite a punch. “Take it with you when you travel! So you remember why you do what you do!”
The cross Kelly gave Pastor Twila for good luck.
Whoa, if I wasn’t mistaken, she had just challenged me to remember my ordination vows. So, a few months into my service at Mosaic, I took the rite of ordination from my shelf.
Reviewing it, I was reminded of the many duties clergy are called to fulfill: preach and teach faithfully, study scripture, pray daily for those you serve (even those who make it hard to love!), provide an example for holy living and shine God’s love in all you do. This last one is perhaps the hardest, as it includes things like doing funerals in which the deceased broke his marriage vows, waking at 3 a.m. to comfort a dying woman’s husband and not losing your cool with confirmands who gift you with a dead mouse at camp!
It’s also probably why the Apostle Paul, the mission developer of many of the first Christian churches, was a strong advocate for supporting church leaders. In 1 Timothy 5:17, he writes, those “who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor.” He especially notes “those whose work is preaching and teaching.”
He encouraged the Thessalonians “to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.” He believed those called to spiritual leadership should be held “in the highest regard in love because of their work.”
His writings lay the foundation for Clergy Appreciation Month, observed in October since 1992.
We at Mosaic hold pastors, priests, missionaries, deacons and all who provide spiritual leadership in communities of faith in high regard. Indeed, it was the service of one pastor, K.G. William Dahl, who set out to start a new community of belonging for people with diverse needs. Inspired by his vision, 54 donors from local churches gave $1 a piece, and Bethphage Mission—one of the two precursors to Mosaic—was born in 1913. Ever since, spiritual leaders have led their communities of faith to help resource and sustain this ministry.
During this month as we lift up those who provide spiritual leadership, we say thank you! Thank you for tirelessly loving the communities you serve. Thank you for continuing God’s work.
Thank you for your support and encouragement of Mosaic’s ministry and our Mission to embrace God’s call in relentlessly pursuing opportunities that empower people with diverse needs.