October is national Clergy Appreciation Month, a time set aside to recognize the contributions and service of pastors. Today, some ways you can do that.
Within Clergy Appreciation Month is Pastor Appreciation Day, the second Sunday in October.
Every day, pastors prepare weekly messages, manage the maintenance and financial obligations of their church, and, most importantly, nurture the spiritual well-being of their congregants.
Here are several ways you can honor your pastor:
- Send your religious leader a clergy appreciation greeting card or hand-written note with a message of gratitude for him or her.
- Ask your children to draw a picture or create other artwork for a clergy member or Sunday school leader.
- Lend your pastor a hand by volunteering at the organization where he or she ministers, such as a hospital or nursing home.
- Take a group photo with fellow church-goers in front of the church or other organization where the clergy member works. Present the photo as an already-framed gift.
- Give your religious leader a “thank you basket” filled with his or her favorite brand of coffee, favorite snack, or hard-to-find allergy-friendly food items.
- Create a photo calendar with a picture of saints or inspiring Bible passages for each month of the year.
- And Request contributions from your congregation to update your clergy member’s office with ergonomic chairs and keyboards, new software, new artwork, or other furnishings.