2.1. Find out when your pastor and
spouse and children have birthdays and anniversaries. Make it a point
to help your church and church board celebrate with them, with notes, gifts,
etc. It is amazing how a birthday card from the church board to a pastor's
child conveys real appreciation toward your pastor and family.
2.2. In the fall of each year,
the Alabama South District celebrates a Pastors and Spouses' Retreat. Plan on
doing everything you can as a church to send your pastor and spouse to this
event. This includes budgeting for the expense, arranging your church
calendar accordingly, helping arrange for childcare while pastor and spouse
are away, and letting them know they not only have permission to
attend, but that you really want them to attend and to enjoy themselves.
This is a special time of renewal and refreshment for our pastors, and local
churches reap the benefits of their pastors attending.
2.3. October is Pastor's
Appreciation Month. This is true not only in the Nazarene church, but
across denominational lines. Think of ways to publicly let your pastor and
family know how much they are loved. Have a pot-luck meal for them, give them
a gift during the worship service, put an announcement in the newspaper. You
will think of something appropriate. But...start planning early to make this
special. Focus on the Family provides an online site to help you with ideas
at
www.clergyappreciation.org.
2.4. Make sure your pastor takes his
allowed vacation time each year. The Alabama South District Finance
Committee and the Assembly have approved the following vacation time depending
on a ministers total years of service in ministry (not just the years at your
local church):
1 through 5 years -- two
weeks vacation
5 through 15 years -- three weeks
15 through 24 years -- four weeks
25 years and over -- five weeks
2.5. Be sure the church board conducts
an annual review of the pastor's compensation package. Most pastors
will not ask for this. The local board secretary can help make sure it
happens.
2.6. Keep accurate and clear minutes
of board meetings. Help the pastor keep the meetings as short as possible.
Minutes of previous board meetings can often be distributed ahead of the
meeting, so little time is spent approving the minutes. Approval can even be
done by email if agreed upon.
2.7. When the time comes for the
Regular Pastoral Review, the district superintendent will rely largely on
the church board secretary to make sure this process takes place as it should.
2.8. The Nazarene Publishing House has a
special program called the Pastor's Reading Budget. For $99.99, they
will give your pastor $125 worth of reading material. You may want to make
sure your church budget includes this amount toward your pastors continuing
education and resourcing. You may want to make this a part of Pastor's
Appreciation Month, or use it as a Christmas or Birthday Gift for your pastor.
2.9. Don't forget your pastor and
family at Christmas time.
2.10. How about sending your pastor's
children to the summer camps sponsored by the district?
2.11. At District Assembly time,
be sure your pastor's expenses are covered. If Assembly requires travel, meals
and lodging away from home, be sure the local church covers those expenses.
2.12. General Assembly comes
around only once every four years. Budget and save each year to send your
pastor, if even for just a couple of days of his choosing, to General
Assembly.