Calvary Kids Interview the Pastoral Relations Committee

We’re getting ready for our two Associate Pastors to be gone at the same time!  Pastor Edgar is going on sabbatical beginning July 15 and Pastor Leah is welcoming a new baby whenever Baby Davis decides to show up (she’s due to arrive July 26th, but Pastor Leah will welcome her arrival ASAP).  That means that BOTH our Associate Pastors will be gone for about the same period of three months.

How are we going to survive?  During the children’s sermon today the kids got to interview the Pastoral Relations Committee, the group in the church that helps to take care of our pastors, to ask some burning questions.  Here they are, with answers deftly embellished by PRC members:

What is it like to work as a pastor?  It doesn’t really look that hard since you only have to work on Sundays!

Actually, pastors work a lot more than just Sunday mornings.  Here are some of the things they do:

• Keep our church running.
• Visit us when we’re sick or sad.
• Plan our worship services and Sunday School lessons.
• Help us do mission projects.
• Study and read and write sermons.
• Go to meetings—a lot of meetings.
• Help new people learn about our church.
• Represent us in the community and the neighborhood.
• Help us know God better.

Why do pastors need to take breaks?

Sometimes being a pastor is really hard work because a lot of people depend on you.  Pastors often work a lot outside of regular office hours.  It gets really tiring to be available that often, so pastors need to take breaks every once in awhile.

Why doesn’t Pastor Leah just get her baby and bring her to church?  We have a nursery!

We all want to see Pastor Leah and Mr. John’s new baby, don’t we?  Everybody is really excited.  But John, Pastor Leah and Baby Davis need some time to get used to each other before Pastor Leah comes back to taking care of us.  We are sure that Baby Davis will be a model child, but even so, I think Pastor Leah will be a little tired after Baby Davis arrives and she’ll need some rest.  The good news is that we’ll get to meet Baby Davis in October when Pastor Leah comes back!

Who is going to help lead worship and do the children’s sermons?

Look around.  See all these wonderful people?  A lot of them and probably some of you will help lead worship this summer.  In two weeks we’ll be having worship next door in Woodward Hall (you know, where we have coffee hour?).  Our worship services will be a little less formal and everybody will be able to participate.

What is Pastor Edgar going to DO for three months?

If you guys don’t already know this, Pastor Edgar was the leader of a very important movement to end the war in El Salvador.  For the next three months he will be writing a book about all of his experiences!

What if I need a pastor?  What should I do?

Our deacons are great!  Every week we will have a deacon of the week, who will help if somebody needs a visit or a meal or a friend.  Also, don’t forget about Pastor Amy—she’ll still be here, along with Jason and Paul and Ms. Cheryl!

How is Pastor Amy going to survive without Pastor Edgar and Pastor Leah to help her?

That’s a good question.

What can we do to help?

Take care of each other.  Offer to help Pastor Amy and the other church staff.  Don’t get mad if something doesn’t get done.  Let Pastor Leah and Pastor Edgar have this time apart from us and don’t bother them.  Remember this: here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and here’s all the people!  We are the church—all of us!  And we’ll get a special chance to take care of each other this summer.  Isn’t that great?