What is it like being a UMC Pastor?

Rawtheran

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As a future candidate for ministry I am curious as to what it is like in the day in the life of a UMC Pastor. So Christian Forum UMC Pastors what is it like being called to Word, Service, Order, and Sacrament or if your a Deacon Word, Service, Compassion, and Justice? What is it like doing visitation, missions trips, sermons, worship preparation, and constant meetings with different committees? What is your schedule normally like? What would you say are the hardest parts of ministry and the greatest rewards of it? What advice and wisdom would you give to someone preparing for this calling?
 

Rawtheran

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I have made a video of old time Methodism. I would like to follow it up soon with a video on pictorial references.

I watched the video thanks for sharing it was actually really interesting!
 
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rockytopva

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Below is the Asbury UMC in Wythe County Va. Below it is the Cripple Creek. The famous Cripple Creek camp meeting roared for over 100 years on these grounds starting with Francis Asbury himself. I plan on doing a pictorial video on the life of RS Sheffey and include all I can gather on the Cripple Creek camp meetings of that time. Which is very tough as I have very little!

Asbury_zpsvonezoia.png
 
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circuitrider

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I'm an Elder in Full Connection in the Iowa Annual Conference. I'd be happy to answer questions about what it is like to pastor.

I've been in pastoral ministry for more than 25 years though not all that time in the UMC.

One of the things I like about ministry is that the work varies from day to day. I spend several mornings of the week in the office working on paperwork, web page, sermons, etc. Afternoons are often hospital calls or other kinds of visitation, having coffee with a Lay Leader or Church Council Chair and several evenings through the month attending and/or leading committee meetings.

My congregation runs about 230 or so in worship between our three services. We have a small chapel service on Saturday, a blended service leaning liturgical on Sunday morning, and a contemporary service on Sunday night. So I preach often. We all have Bible studies through out the week. I teach Sunday school sometimes. Confirmation annually and also sing in the choir on occasion.
 
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Big Drew

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I'm an Elder in Full Connection in the Iowa Annual Conference. I'd be happy to answer questions about what it is like to pastor.

I've been in pastoral ministry for more than 25 years though not all that time in the UMC.

One of the things I like about ministry is that the work varies from day to day. I spend several mornings of the week in the office working on paperwork, web page, sermons, etc. Afternoons are often hospital calls or other kinds of visitation, having coffee with a Lay Leader or Church Council Chair and several evenings through the month attending and/or leading committee meetings.

My congregation runs about 230 or so in worship between our three services. We have a small chapel service on Saturday, a blended service leaning liturgical on Sunday morning, and a contemporary service on Sunday night. So I preach often. We all have Bible studies through out the week. I teach Sunday school sometimes. Confirmation annually and also sing in the choir on occasion.
I've wondered about this with churches that have multiple services...does the pastor preach the same sermon each service?
 
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Big Drew

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Below is the Asbury UMC in Wythe County Va. Below it is the Cripple Creek. The famous Cripple Creek camp meeting roared for over 100 years on these grounds starting with Francis Asbury himself. I plan on doing a pictorial video on the life of RS Sheffey and include all I can gather on the Cripple Creek camp meetings of that time. Which is very tough as I have very little!

Asbury_zpsvonezoia.png
That's gorgeous. Always loved church architecture...even a simple country church like this is beautiful. Do you know if the church baptized in the creek?
 
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circuitrider

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I've wondered about this with churches that have multiple services...does the pastor preach the same sermon each service?

At the Saturday and Sunday morning services I preach the same sermon. Sunday night we have some overlap of people from other services and the style of service is so different that I've chosen to preach a different sermon. Pastors make their own choices about those kind of things depending on circumstances.
 
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Rawtheran

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I'm an Elder in Full Connection in the Iowa Annual Conference. I'd be happy to answer questions about what it is like to pastor.

I've been in pastoral ministry for more than 25 years though not all that time in the UMC.

One of the things I like about ministry is that the work varies from day to day. I spend several mornings of the week in the office working on paperwork, web page, sermons, etc. Afternoons are often hospital calls or other kinds of visitation, having coffee with a Lay Leader or Church Council Chair and several evenings through the month attending and/or leading committee meetings.

My congregation runs about 230 or so in worship between our three services. We have a small chapel service on Saturday, a blended service leaning liturgical on Sunday morning, and a contemporary service on Sunday night. So I preach often. We all have Bible studies through out the week. I teach Sunday school sometimes. Confirmation annually and also sing in the choir on occasion.

What is it like being a Pastor from the administrative side like can it be rough at times considering you have to create a budget, maintaining charge conference forms, fundraising, etc.? I'll bet it is challenging at times wearing multiple hats being both a teacher, manager, as well as a husband and father.
 
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circuitrider

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What is it like being a Pastor from the administrative side like can it be rough at times considering you have to create a budget, maintaining charge conference forms, fundraising, etc.? I'll bet it is challenging at times wearing multiple hats being both a teacher, manager, as well as a husband and father.

Some of it depends on the size of your congregation. All of us have the same Charge Conference forms. But I pastor a multi-staff congregation. So my role include staff supervision, staff meetings, staff evaluation, etc.

Our Finance Committee does the greatest amount of work on the budget. But I do have a hand in making sure committees submit budget proposals on time.

If you look at the role of an ordained Elder in the UMC (title for an ordained itinerant pastor) we are called to a ministry of "Word, Sacrament, Order and Service." Word and sacrament refer to preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments. Order refers to ordering the life of the local church. So a big part of pastoring is being the organization and leader in helping the church cast its vision.
 
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Rawtheran

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Some of it depends on the size of your congregation. All of us have the same Charge Conference forms. But I pastor a multi-staff congregation. So my role include staff supervision, staff meetings, staff evaluation, etc.

Our Finance Committee does the greatest amount of work on the budget. But I do have a hand in making sure committees submit budget proposals on time.

If you look at the role of an ordained Elder in the UMC (title for an ordained itinerant pastor) we are called to a ministry of "Word, Sacrament, Order and Service." Word and sacrament refer to preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments. Order refers to ordering the life of the local church. So a big part of pastoring is being the organization and leader in helping the church cast its vision.
Wow that sounds like a pretty awesome call! Thanks for the input!
 
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RomansFiveEight

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I serve a two point charge in Rural Missouri. I do better with specific questions than just trying to define what day to day looks like.

Ultimately, the job of a Pastor is to equip the saints. Day to day, I try to think about how, today, I'm going to equip the people of my church to do ministry. This happens in a broad sense through preaching, and a more acute sense through meeting with and coaching parishioners who are taking on various leadership roles. My days can vary greatly, but since it's the end of the week, I'll break down THIS week for you;

Sunday - Preached two services, and had a dinner in honor of our High School Graduates

Monday - Had morning coffee with a close friend and colleague, and discussed some of the interdenominational ministry that we have planned in the coming months between our two churches. In the evening, I went to two local nursing homes and visited with members there, praying, listening.

Tuesday - I made a visit to a woman in a hospital an hour away, that took much of the morning. In the afternoon, I outlined my sermon. I'm in a series right now, so I selected my text, asked broad questions about what it is I hope the people will be impacted by, and ended up with an outline of the sermon. I did some reading in preparation of the sermon.

Wednesday - In the morning, I worked with a youth leader to develop the plan for a new bi-weekly Youth Group we're starting as our youth continues to expand rapidly. I participated in a conference call for a statewide youth organization I am on the board of directors for, and then we had our baccalaureate service, so I was home late after tearing down for that.

Thursday - Spent the day writing my sermon from that outline, it took all day. I tend to put a lot of time into my sermons (15+ hours a week), as I consider the sermon a critical junction in worship. I began at 8AM and was interrupted a few times by folks stopping by, and at 7:30PM I left my office to attend our local High School Graduation.

Friday - Today is my day off. Self care is critical if you're going into ministry.

Saturday - Tomorrow morning I'm planning to finish up my sermon, and then in the evening we have a youth event that runs until 1AM. (Remember that self care thing above? Do as I say, not as I do...) Then, we start it all over again on Sunday!
 
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Rawtheran

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I serve a two point charge in Rural Missouri. I do better with specific questions than just trying to define what day to day looks like.

Ultimately, the job of a Pastor is to equip the saints. Day to day, I try to think about how, today, I'm going to equip the people of my church to do ministry. This happens in a broad sense through preaching, and a more acute sense through meeting with and coaching parishioners who are taking on various leadership roles. My days can vary greatly, but since it's the end of the week, I'll break down THIS week for you;

Sunday - Preached two services, and had a dinner in honor of our High School Graduates

Monday - Had morning coffee with a close friend and colleague, and discussed some of the interdenominational ministry that we have planned in the coming months between our two churches. In the evening, I went to two local nursing homes and visited with members there, praying, listening.

Tuesday - I made a visit to a woman in a hospital an hour away, that took much of the morning. In the afternoon, I outlined my sermon. I'm in a series right now, so I selected my text, asked broad questions about what it is I hope the people will be impacted by, and ended up with an outline of the sermon. I did some reading in preparation of the sermon.

Wednesday - In the morning, I worked with a youth leader to develop the plan for a new bi-weekly Youth Group we're starting as our youth continues to expand rapidly. I participated in a conference call for a statewide youth organization I am on the board of directors for, and then we had our baccalaureate service, so I was home late after tearing down for that.

Thursday - Spent the day writing my sermon from that outline, it took all day. I tend to put a lot of time into my sermons (15+ hours a week), as I consider the sermon a critical junction in worship. I began at 8AM and was interrupted a few times by folks stopping by, and at 7:30PM I left my office to attend our local High School Graduation.

Friday - Today is my day off. Self care is critical if you're going into ministry.

Saturday - Tomorrow morning I'm planning to finish up my sermon, and then in the evening we have a youth event that runs until 1AM. (Remember that self care thing above? Do as I say, not as I do...) Then, we start it all over again on Sunday!

And here I thought that the life of a college student was busy but it seems like that is only the beginning! I really appreciate your input especially in regards to self care because that is very important if you want to avoid burnout. Thanks for your reply!
 
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