When congregations & pastors
Great expectations
find each other: ‘This is not speed dating, this is a serious courtship’
By Elizabeth A. Eaton
here is something stark and strange about a recently vacated office. The empty walls and shelves, the cleared desk, and the absence of memorabilia and ubiquitous coffee mug all make it undeniably clear that the erstwhile occupant is gone. And if that room was the pastor’s office, it’s also
T CHRIS OCKEN
abundantly clear that the congregation is entering the call process. The call process: these words can strike fear in the hearts of the hardiest congregation. Where will we find a new pastor (or associate in ministry or deaconess or diaconal minister)? What will the next pastor be like? What should the next pastor be like? How long will it take? What will happen to us? Is there anyone out there?
And out there are pastors, associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers, even newly graduated seminarians all wondering about their next (or first) call. Where will I find a call? What will, or should, it be like? How long will it take? What will happen to me? Is anyone out there? This space between the ending of one call and the beginning of the next
is charged with possibility, anxiety, hope, uncertainty, renewal and grief— sometimes all swirling around at once. And out of this mix (though not from any of our congregations, of
Eaton is bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod. 20 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52