Rev. Tom Coronite is looking forward to being our Sunday Pastor starting January 5, 2025. He asked we share the following letter he wrote five years ago when he was the departing Pastor from First Church Weymouth. Weymouth, at the time, was in the midst of their own pulpit search.
From the Pastor’s Desk… 💻
As my decision to retire on July 31st became finalized, I spent more and more time thinking about what I would do when retired. Certainly, there is always yard work to do, and surely Trish and I will take time to go on outings and trips. But day after day, when one is still under 60, there should be some activity to get me out of the house on a regular basis, keep me busy, keep me productive and engaged. So, I have been looking for a part-time job. WOW! Applying for jobs sure has changed since I last did it in earnest, decades ago!
Applying for a job used to be so personal. You d make a phone call, set up an interview, get dressed up and properly groomed, show up on time, offer a firm handshake, all things designed to make a good impression. Now, the process is very impersonal. Many applications are done online, and viewed by a computer program, scanning for keywords, and eliminating many of them before a human eye ever sees them! And you likely never even get a courteous thanks-but-no-thanks letter; you just get ignored.
It s very different from the manner in which a church calls a Pastor. Even using the term call as opposed to hire is an obvious clue that this is different. And it s different because discerning whom to call as Pastor is discerning the will of God, discerning the movement of the Spirit. As this church prepares to begin a search and call process, this is an extremely important point to remember. While a church searches, a church calls, it is God who chooses.
It s helpful to remember that the office of Pastor is a biblical office, and, as such, is not merely a job. The term pastor comes from the Latin term for shepherd, and Paul lists the qualifications for this office in his pastoral letters. When the New Testament Scriptures speak of the office of Pastor, they speak of elders and overseers, those who have the responsibility to watch over the congregation and meet its spiritual needs. In John s Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the importance of this role when He charges Peter to feed and tend the flock. Paul expands on this charge in his pastoral letters, detailing that this feeding and tending is done by teaching the Word, guiding the flock to spiritual and biblical maturity, and protecting the flock from false teachings.
When Scripture speaks of this role of pastor/overseer/elder, it is speaking of much more than one who ministers. All believers are ministers, and act as ministers to one another according to their spiritual gifts. And there are various roles ministers (ordained or lay) and chaplains can fulfill, doing ministry, while not specifically filling the biblical office of Pastor as it is described in Scripture. In other words, being a Pastor is more than just being a minister or doing ministry. It is fulfilling a biblically mandated role in the life of a local church.
When preparing to undertake a search and call process, a church does well to spend time reflecting on itself. Why? Because the role, or office, of Pastor involves feeding and tending the flock. Therefore, in order to discern God s will for a particular flock, the very flock itself must have a clear understanding of who they are, what their needs are, what their gifts are, and what minister will be the right holder of the office of Pastor, for this flock, at this time. Clearly, this is much more, and goes much deeper, than merely hiring a minister. This is no ordinary job search, or application process. This is a process of discernment that requires prayer, submission to God s will, and knowledge/understanding of Scripture.
A true search and call process will take time. A true search and call process needs, and will greatly benefit from, the proper preparation and foundation building. It s natural that there would be a temptation to find somebody and fill the void as quickly as we can, to hit the ground running and avoid skipping a beat. While those are generally excellent sentiments, they re likely not good ones in this context. While nature abhors a vacuum, in the realm of the Spirit, it is often a good thing to have a down
time, a time of emptiness, a time when we recognize the frailty of our own devices, and necessarily turn to God for guidance. A time to listen, to be still, and discern God s will, be in the Spirit.
Please remember you are not entering a job search, hiring someone, or filling a vacancy. You will be doing something much more spiritual. You will be discerning God s will for this flock. I am confident God already has a plan for this flock, and He will make it known, when and if you listen. And please remember you are filling an office, an office that is described in, and authorized by, the Word of God. It is God who chooses.
My prayer for this fellowship, this flock, is that you listen before you decide, prepare before you act, submit to God s Word before speaking your own. Understand that the person who fills this office has a tremendous responsibility – caring for the flock and having to answer to God. Respect the office, as it is ordained by God. Respect the office-holder, not because of who he is personally, but because he is chosen by God. And respect the process, because in it is God s will for His flock. Be quiet… Be still…
Listen…
Pastor TC