• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Ruth Everhart

Author, Pastor, Speaker

  • Home
  • About
  • All Books
    • Ruined
    • The #MeToo Reckoning
      • Workshop
      • Table of Contents
      • Available in Korean
      • Source Documents
    • Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • Audio/Podcasts
  • Videos
    • Book Trailers
    • Sermon Videos
  • Big Blue Adventures
  • Contact

Things to Not Do: One Pastor’s List

March 19, 2009 By Ruth Everhart 1 Comment

I’m thinking about what it means to cease working, in preparation for a sermon on Sabbath-keeping.

Yesterday I had lunch with someone whose agenda was to discern whether I’m doing adequate “self-care” in ministry. (Ah, isn’t that the topic of work and rest, or Sabbath?)

We began with a little conversation about how my church is doing. She was surprised to hear that it’s thriving –nonplussed when I said we needed to expand worship, perhaps by going to two services.

“But you’re only part-time!” she said.

Then she asked a really excellent question: “What DON’T you do that most other pastors do?”

I don’t teach Sunday School classes, not even for adults

I don’t teach Confirmation Class

I have nothing to do with Vacation Bible School

I don’t arrange the pulpit supply

I don’t do the “Prayers of the People”

I don’t do “Time with Children” except monthly when it’s my turn

I don’t maintain the prayer list

I don’t have anything to do with the choir or selection of anthems

I don’t follow up on members who don’t come to church

I don’t schedule all-church events

I don’t know how many paper plates are in the cupboard

I don’t have anything to do with scheduling child care

I don’t record the outgoing phone messages in a cheery voice

I don’t listen to phone messages unless the Admin Asst forwards them

I don’t interface with people using our building

I don’t think about whether the walks are shoveled or parking lot plowed

I don’t help serve the meal at the homeless shelter once a month

I don’t give the “Minute for Mission”

I don’t spend time in my office at set, regular times

I don’t have anything to do with the church directory or picture directory

I don’t write the yearly stewardship letter

I don’t do the Annual Statistical Report required by presbytery

I don’t take on any responsibilities in the presbytery

I don’t check up on my elders to see if they’ve done what they said they would do

I don’t do all that, and still, the world rotates on its axis. Even more amazing, all of the above work gets done. ?By elders. ?To me, this is ecclesiology in action. And believe me, I’m not perfect at delegating. There are some things I do that someone else could do, but which I consider my servant leadership:

I proofread the church e-newsletter

I interface with the fire-extinguisher-recharger guy

I clean out closets occasionally

I change lightbulbs and empty my own trash

I tidy up the pew Bibles on Sunday morning

Maybe tomorrow I’ll post what I DO do, because you’re probably wondering!

Leading the Small Church how one pastor takes a Sabbath

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wayne says

    March 20, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    cool

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Ruth Everhart Author

Let’s connect on social media!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Contact

Find a Blog Topic Here

  • Church & Sexuality (33)
    • A Christian Feminist on Abortion (2)
    • Articles about #MeToo Reckoning (1)
    • Egalitarianism (7)
    • Korean translation of #MeTooReckoning (1)
    • LGBT & Christianity (2)
    • Marriage & Vocation (3)
    • Pastoral Issues re Sexual Assault (4)
    • Podcasts #MeToo (1)
    • Reviews #MeToo (1)
    • Sexual Abuse & Church (9)
  • Exploring Washington DC (3)
    • Embassy Tour 2022 (2)
    • Library of Congress (1)
  • Ministry Leadership (60)
    • Advent/Christmas (3)
    • Ascension/Pentecost (3)
    • Church Clutter (1)
    • Church Hospitality (6)
    • Churches & Money (2)
    • Handcrafted Communion Boxes (1)
    • Leading the Small Church (10)
    • Learning as an Air Bnb Host (4)
    • Lectionary Study (6)
    • Lent/Easter (7)
    • Liturgical Leadership (2)
    • Ordained as a Clergywoman (8)
    • Presbyterian Church (USA) (5)
    • Transforming Congregations (5)
  • My Family (45)
    • My Dad, Nicholas J. Huizenga (13)
    • My Sister's Kidney Donation (3)
    • Raising Our Daughters (18)
    • Why I Still Love My Husband (9)
  • My Writing (34)
    • Awards (4)
    • My Writing Journey (13)
    • Published in Christian Century (12)
    • Reviews of My Books (3)
    • Writing A Rape Memoir (2)
  • People I Learn From (38)
    • Abraham Lincoln (7)
    • Conversations with Strangers (15)
    • Gordon Lightfoot (2)
    • Harriet Tubman (1)
    • Lectures by Smart People (8)
    • Nelson Mandela (1)
    • U2 (4)
  • Pilgrimage to the Holy Land (65)
    • Be a Virtual Pilgrim (3)
    • Interfaith Issues (1)
    • Israel & Palestine (13)
    • Lent Devotional about pilgrimage (47)
  • Spiritual Reflection (50)
    • 2022 (1)
    • Aging (8)
    • Birds (1)
    • Bread (1)
    • Ending Gun Violence (5)
    • Finding Happiness (3)
    • Grief & Grieving (8)
    • Prayer (2)
    • Sabbath & Snow (4)
    • Silence at a Monastery (2)
    • Uncluttering as a Spiritual Practice (14)
  • Travel (29)
    • Belize (1)
    • Big Blue Adventures (1)
    • Chesapeake Bay (4)
    • Dominican Republic (1)
    • Michigan (3)
    • New Mexico Pilgrimage as a Family (1)
    • Newfoundland (1)
    • Prince Edward Island PEI (8)
    • Shenandoah (2)
    • Washington DC (7)
  • Words & Writing (56)
    • Book Reviews (12)
    • Lyrics & Music (10)
    • Nourishing Creativity (4)
    • Writer with Kitty Cat (2)
    • Writers on Writing (6)
  • Working with Holidays in Church (11)
    • 9/11 September 11, 2001 (1)
    • All Saints Day (1)
    • Memorial Day (2)
    • Mothers Day (2)
    • New Years (4)
    • Valentines Day (1)

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • All Books
    • Ruined
    • The #MeToo Reckoning
      • Workshop
      • Table of Contents
      • Available in Korean
      • Source Documents
    • Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land
  • Blog
  • Articles
  • Audio/Podcasts
  • Videos
    • Book Trailers
    • Sermon Videos
  • Big Blue Adventures
  • Contact
Log in
Recent Blogposts:
  • Embassy Tour 2022 — European Union
  • Embassy Tour in DC, May 2022
  • Skin in the Game
  • Choosing a Word for 2022, Happy New Year!
  • Happy New Year to You!