At Focus on the Family Canada, we care deeply about pastors and ministry leaders, as well as their spouses. We know ministry comes at significant personal cost as it can be highly demanding and extremely stressful – so much so that it’s common for leaders and their spouses to struggle with discouragement, burnout and relational issues.

That’s why we established Clergy Care, a support network made possible by generous financial support from nine partnering denominations, plus the gifts of individual donors. Since October is Clergy Appreciation Month, we invite you to explore this free PDF booklet, offering creative ideas to celebrate your ministry leaders.

We’re also pleased to share this personal testimony from Beth Fleming, who co-directs our Kerith Retreats in Ontario with her husband, Steve, about the difference Clergy Care can make:

As I think about Clergy Appreciation Month, I’m reminded of a time in our ministry when I felt overwhelmed and discouraged by the choices of a leader close to us. As pastors, we were in a challenging situation and had to make some difficult decisions. Our response was not well received by everyone, and this created additional stress in an already tense season. We may have known what we should do to combat the discouragement in our souls – after all, we often supported others in difficult situations – but sometimes it felt like an uphill climb to keep our peace and continue to lead.

Feeling unjustly accused and attacked, I floundered for a few days until a large manilla envelope arrived for me at the office. Inside were 30 cards with handwritten notes containing encouragement and Scriptures that reminded me of God’s promises and faithfulness. Over 30 days, as I opened each card, I took the time to read them out loud and turned the messages into a personal declaration over my life, praying the Scriptures and words that were written. As I did this day after day, I sensed my soul being strengthened by the Word of God. It was a timely and thoughtful gift from a woman in our church community, and the Holy Spirit used her act of kindness as a source of encouragement to me during that difficult time.

I want you to know that your words of encouragement can make a significant difference in the life and ministry of a pastor, not just during Clergy Appreciation Month, but all year long. It can be challenging to understand the world pastors and church leaders operate in. They face a variety of expectations and wear many different hats as they lead with vision, teach the Word of God, nurture community and oversee the day-to-day affairs of their church. There’s an emotional weight not easily seen by others, and the enemy desires to discourage leaders in ways that will impact the mission and reputation of the church in the community.

We want to pray for and support those in ministry, so they’ll know they’re not alone and remain faithful to God through the challenging seasons they face. My husband is known for the phrase “NPP” – no perfect people, no perfect parents, and no perfect pastors. All pastors are human and will miss the mark on occasion but can benefit greatly from support in a variety of ways. Look for opportunities to speak or write words that give courage and life to those who serve in your church community. If we know a pastor’s love language – words of affirmation, gifts, quality time, acts of service – it can be helpful in determining how best to support them.

Here are a few ideas to express appreciation that I gathered in conversation with pastoral couples:

  • Do something special for the pastor’s family.
  • Give gift cards to a favourite dining spot.
  • Send a card with a note expressing the impact of their life and ministry.
  • Offer to support them with tasks around their house and yard.
  • Show care by being interested in their life and family.
  • Bake them a favourite treat, like pumpkin pie.
  • Send the pastoral couple to a Kerith Retreat!

Consider the words of the apostle Paul: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

I encourage you to have fun and get creative as you look to bless your pastor during Clergy Appreciation Month!