The Purpose of Christmas
Jesus Christ was born for a purpose. Help your children understand the reason for His birth.
Celebrate Clergy Appreciation Month by teaching your kids to show gratitude to your family’s pastor.
Honoring pastors and other church leaders has been a respected practice since the days of the early church. It reflects the mandate found in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 to “respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.”
October is designated as Clergy Appreciation Month. This celebration provides parents with the opportunity to model gratitude, while helping their kids recognize that God has entrusted pastors with the responsibility to oversee the spiritual well-being of His flock.
Modeling gratitude does not have to be an enormous production. You can send a card, cook a meal, buy a gift or offer your skills and services to help do work around the pastor’s house. Here are a few additional ideas:
As your kids notice what you are doing, it’s important to help them recognize all that a pastor does for the congregation. Talk about the pastor’s many responsibilities and the hours these tasks require. Explain to your kids that when a pastor is weary, his work in the church may be ineffective. Once kids understand that honoring our clergy helps to minimize pastoral stress, they may realize that what they do for their clergy can encourage them to persevere through the challenges of serving the body of Christ.
The following is a list of ideas to help you get your kids involved in affirming your pastor. You and your family can show your appreciation to your pastoral staff by doing the following:
Regardless of how you choose to honor your pastoral staff, don’t miss the opportunity to make Clergy Appreciation Month a regular event for your family. Not only will you bless your pastor, but you will also model for your children an attitude of gratitude and respect for those who serve throughout the year.