The call to honor church leaders’ contributions can be traced back to St. Paul. In establishing the first Christian churches, St. Paul advised the congregation to give “double honor” to the elders of the church who managed the affairs of the church well, “especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).
St. Paul further urged Christian communities to acknowledge those “who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you,” holding these spiritual leaders “in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).
In 1994, the American Christian organization Focus on the Family began promoting Clergy Appreciation Month as a national month of observance, to encourage the faithful to outwardly show their appreciation for religious leaders on a national level.
On a daily basis, clergy members prepare weekly messages and teaching, manage the maintenance, financial, and administrative obligations of their church, and, most importantly, nurture the spiritual well-being of their congregants.
Aside from these daily duties, clergy members participate in the lives of their church-goers and their community: funerals, prayer and visitation of the sick, ministering to the imprisoned and abandoned, marriages, baptisms, Holy First Communions, and requests for special blessings.
Ways to Celebrate
- Hand-written cards or letters.
- Involve all age groups of the congregation.
- Volunteer for church roles or tasks.
- Help out your pastoral family (mowing, cooking a meal, babysit, car maintenance, house cleaning, etc.)
- Meaningful gifts. Aim for what suits your pastor and family, be that gift baskets, special items,
gift cards, money trees, books, or time away.
- Have the pastoral family in your home or take them out to dinner.
- Organize a celebratory appreciation event.
- Words of encouragement and meaningful conversation.
- Show up - participation in the life of your local church means a lot.
- Don't forget to include pastor spouses and children. While they may not serve directly in the pastoral role, they are an important part of your pastor's ministry.
- Grow in grace, and share with your pastor how you are growing. Seeing the flock make progress in the journey of faith is a blessing to any pastor's heart.
- Pray for your pastor and family.
Pray regularly. Pray publicly. Let pastors know you are praying for them.
A general internet search for "Clergy Appreciation Month" will also provide ideas for ways to demonstrate appreciation to your pastor and family.
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