BUILDING SUPPORT
A first step is to clearly identify those within your judicatory who have been ordained but are not currently exercising that ministry in a parish setting. You may want to expand this to include those who see themselves as spiritually called to ministry but without ordination. The very nature of the concept of priesthood of all believers makes these categories somewhat murky. It may be best to acknowledge the ambiguity and be clear on the definition that you are using.
At least in the Presbyterian church, and I suspect in most other denominations as well, those involved in specialized ministry often see the main connection with their judicatory as being one of filling out the yearly report that helps them maintain their ordination vows. Some are asked to serve on committees. Your goal is to enable more of them to experience the care of their judicatory and to release a broader awareness of the value of their gifts in ministry.
BUILDING AWARENESS AND CONNECTIONS
Once you have identified the various non-parish pastors in your judicatory, group their ministries into several categories. For example, those engaged in counseling, social work, teaching, law, business, etc. Communicate as broadly as possible the variety of ministries that you are discovering and invite people to make additions You will probably be surprised and uplifted by the variety of ministry that is happening within your area.
If geography presents a challenge, you may want to invite them to some regional gatherings to encourage their connections with others engaged in non-parish ministry. Secure the contact information for as many people as you can in these areas of ministry. As a way of building more contact among these people, some form of linked in or face book sharing might be established. This will enable those interested to be enriched by sharing with each other the challenges that they have discovered in their particular ministry.
TELLING OUR STORY
At such an initial gathering, it would be good for those present to have an opportunity to tell the story of their ministry and how they understand God’s calling. At first, this may be difficult for the participants because they are not accustomed to this type of description. Doing so, however, may help reinforce their sense of call and their consciousness of their practice of ministry.
For the ordained who are part of the Board of Pensions program, a positive contribution might be to explain some of the special services available to members through the EAP program. Few would probably be aware that they can access addiction counseling, weight loss programs, nurse consultations, and even legal advice.
In future blogs, I want to explore other practical ways that a presbytery or judicatory might reach out to and build support among those engaged in such specialized ministries.
