BUILDING CONNECTIONS AMONG THE CLERGY
All General Presbyters/Presbytery Executives know the challenge. First, we live in an age of institutional distrust and the presbytery represents one more institution in our society. Second, our denomination is experiencing ideological division similar to that taking place in our larger society and even clergy seem to place their fellow clergy in categories—liberal, conservative, small church, large church, rural, urban, etc. What we lack is more face to face time where we get to know each other as colleagues in the faith. I’ve rarely had a conversation with another pastor, regardless of theological position, where I didn’t discover that we shared many of the stresses and challenges of being a pastor.
A COMPANY OF PASTORS
A few years ago, I had phone conversations with each of the General Presbyters of the Mid-Atlantic Synod. When I asked what one of the biggest challenges they saw among the clergy in their presbytery, they agreed that it was isolation. Because of time demands, geography, theological differences, etc., clergy do not regularly convene to support each other. This is exacerbated by our current pandemic restrictions.
In the early days of our denomination, John Calvin formed a “Company of Pastors,” in which the clergy regularly came together for nurture and support. Many of the executives that I talked to have tried various ways to form clergy cohort groups to break this isolation.
New Castle Presbytery tried an idea that I want to build on. Tom Stout, the moderator at the time said, “I saw that both teaching and ruling elders had little opportunity to interact on a person-to-person basis. We seem to usually treat each other as supporters or opponents on a variety of business items before the presbytery. I wondered if that could be countered in some fashion by a setting where we shared something of ourselves in a focused and “non-business” environment.” His proposal was to form a reading group that would come together once a month and discuss a book of common interest.” He reports that the idea had modest success.
THE EXECUTIVE DISCUSSION GROUP
Even in this age of institutional distrust, the presbytery executive still has some extra influence because of his or her position. I want to suggest that the executive offer to guide a book discussion group in order to both strengthen relationships across the presbytery and also the personal relationship between clergy and the executive. There would be two dimensions to this proposal.
First, there would be a suggestion of a “common read” of a book during a period of time across the presbytery. Everyone would know that everyone is reading the same book that relates to church life so that whenever one pastor met another, they could raise the subject. (In this sense, it is like the lectionary readings that were meant to unite the church.)
Second, once a month the executive would convene a discussion group on the book for all who are interested. Under present conditions, this could be arranged by programs like Zoom, Facebook live, etc. In presenting the proposal, the executive would acknowledge the problem of division and encourage clergy deliberately to join with other clergy of diverse perspectives.
CHOOSING A BOOK
New Castle Presbytery read Falling Upward by Richard Rohr, Saving Creation by Kathleen Sullivan, Surprised by Hope, by N. T. Wright, and a book by Tom Long on suffering. You might also consider The Renegade Pastor by Nelson Searcy, Incarnation by Will Willimon and Stitches by Anne Lamott.
I would encourage you to alternate non-fiction books with some novels that involve clergy struggling with church life. Of course, I want you to consider some of my fictional stories about clergy life. I have three volumes of Clergy Tales—Tails, which might offer some short stories to begin the discussion. My mystery novel, A Star and a Tear, is a longer story that explores the story of a pastor that helps the police track down a serial rapist. amzn.to/13VO446 I’ve also written a thriller, Blessed Are the Peacemakers, that explores how the church responds to the violence of our society. www.amzn.to/2i5JMat
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Have fun while you build relationships among the clergy under your care. Model for our society how you maintain connections and build community even when you are separated.
