Scripted Pastor

I find that I'm a more effective pastor when I don't rely on my own words or ingenuity. I'm daily confronted with the poverty of my own vocabulary. I'm not an eloquent, on-the-spot, speaker or thinker. I've tried to be, but it's very difficult for me and I get easily frustrated. For some people words come very naturally. Others, like me, well...let's just say I'm a better writer than talker.

It comes with the territory of pastoral ministry that I must speak. I think that's the expectation. But I'm finding that making things up on the spot confuses more people than helps them, at least in my case. I, for one, am glad that I don't have to invent and reinvent Sunday liturgy every week. The Lutheran heritage is rich in liturgical resources, most of which are found in the Lutheran Service Book. I am very grateful for this hymnal. Its language spans the centuries and includes, but transcends, every culture.

I'm also very grateful for the Pastoral Care Companion. Just this morning I had an emergency arise and needed to visit someone at the hospital. Having this resource was very helpful for me, as I was able to use it to bring comfort to a distressed parishioner by proclaiming the very presence of Christ in a very trying situation. It's not enough for me to say, matter of factly, "The Lord is here." There are much more effective ways of saying this that escape me in the moment. But when I can open up the Companion and extract meaningful prayer, Scripture passages, a brief order of service for Holy Communion, I discover that I minister with more confidence and assurance.

See, people like me need this kind of thing if they will take the title of "Reverend". When I'm at a loss for words, I know that I have words available that I can fall back and rely on: the very words of Scripture. There's nothing like it anywhere!