Recently we have received some inquiries from curious folk wanting to know just what it is that a minister does. It’s understandable especially since most folks only see us work on Sundays. While it may, at first glance, appear to be very little, in actuality, there is a whole lot going on the rest of the week.  So, to answer this question, I have composed this light-hearted (and informative) post.😊  

“And on the seventh day, God rested!”

Have your read Genesis lately? Remember the story of God’s very busy week?  Let’s take a close look at the Creator’s jam-packed calendar. Just how much time does God actually click-in on the job?

On the first day: “Let there be light!”

On the second: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.” (Yes, firmament, a vault in the sky!)

On the third: “Let the earth put forth fruits and veggies, berries and broccoli, apples and asparagus.”

On the fourth: “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky; seasons, days, nights, months, and years.”

On the fifth: “Let the waters bring forth all kinds of swarming creatures: one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. And feathery creatures of every kind.”

On the sixth: “Let there be the friendly and not-so-friendly beasts to roam the earth.  And, let there be some humans, too.”

And God called it all good. It was very good, very good indeed.

“And on the seventh day, God rested!”

Now in cosmic time, God gets this stuff all done with a Word. Bam!  Let there be light! Bam! Let there be lights in the firmament! Bam!

It’s a bit hard to add up God’s hours on a calculator. But we know God put his whole Self into this week of creation. No slacking off.  Until the seventh day, of course, when he takes the day off. Saturday is the Sabbath, you know.

It has been said, that because God worked six out of the seven days and got all of this good stuff done, the ministers of God need only to work just one!  Just climb into the pulpit on Sunday and preach and pray and sing God’s praises.  A couple of services, coffee hour, and you’re done!!

So, what do these minister people do with all of their time off? 

Well, not too much.

Monday:  Check in with staff, debrief Sunday, make pastoral calls, catch up on email, write newsletter articles, dream up blog posts, recruit volunteers.

Tuesday:  Admin and worship planning; pastoral calls and email; looking up the lectionary, jotting down sermon ideas; meeting with day school; prepping resources, reading a book, teaching a class.

Wednesday: Meetings! Staff meeting and vestry meeting; meetings with baptismal parents, wedding couples, new parishioners, and inquiring souls. Supervising seminarians, mediating disputes, negotiating with neighbors, calming storms. Email and pastoral calls!

Thursday:  Draft sermon, craft prayers, review bulletin; meet with committees of various kinds; hospital, retirement home, and nursing home visits; ministry revisioning, occasional funeral planning.  Did I mention email and pastoral calls?

Friday: Ministry partner, community, and diocesan meetings; Sunday sermon recording, next week’s brainstorming; getting down on our knees & rattling some beads, email and pastoral calls!!

Saturday:  The Sabbath! Take a shower, brush teeth, walk the dog, feed the cats. Do the laundry, clean bathrooms, mow lawn, go to grocery store. Weddings, funerals, email and pastoral calls!

Sunday: Go to work! What a great job!

Pax vobiscum,

Your Friend, The Rev. Joani

P.S. I forgot to mention “other duties as assigned.”😊

Mental Health Spirituality The Episcopal Church Clergy Podcast The Rev. Joan L. Peacock