October has been the annual month for Pastor Appreciation for many years. It is a month some pastors welcome with excitement, while others accept it with little enthusiasm.
Those who anticipate a shower of hugs, handshakes, and gift cards tend to be excited. Not so much those who remember last year’s half-hearted “round of applause” with a $25 love offering collected when everyone “pitched in a little bit.”
The articles Mark Dance has written about Pastor Appreciation (here and here) continue to be read by many people each year. The good news is a lot of people are interested in doing Pastor Appreciation right.
It is an important time and, trust me, pastors notice whether the church promotes it, encourages it, and celebrates it. There can be a bit of a sting when it gets overlooked.
Over the years I’ve gotten my share of Pastor Appreciation gifts; all of them have been a blessing. The most exciting and unexpected gift I ever received was from a family in our church: a chainsaw.
Over the years they had been witness to the futility of me and my <pretend name brand> chainsaw. One October they called and asked me to drop by their house. When I arrived there sat a brand new Husquvarna.
What a gift!
Pastor Appreciation might be better for some pastors if the members of the church really knew how to bless their pastor(s) each October.
We all know stories of Pastor Appreciation gone bad, but what about the good efforts?
Have you been blessed by your church or some of your members during Pastor Appreciation Month? Why not share in the comments what blessed you. It might be the fertile soil from which someone else’s good ideas can grow.
