Presbyrista Wisdom

By Caitlin

My fellow Presbyristas and I talk a lot about the future. We talk about where we see our future ministries going, what we are learning now that will be the most helpful, and how on earth we are going to make the bumpy transition from students to ministers.

I thought it would be fun to ask three other Presbyristas (aka three other young, Presbyterian women) who have recently graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and taken the plunge into ministry how it is going and what thoughts they have about the transition. They represent three different ministry roles in three different locations around the country:

Rev. Lindsay Hatch is the Solo Pastor at Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church in Sandy Springs, South Carolina. Originally from Houston Lindsay, her husband Brad, and their dog Izzy are busy getting settled in South Carolina.

Rev. Kate McGee is the Associate Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Topeka, Kansas. As of this summer she is also the proud wife of Lee McGee, who is almost a legal American resident.

Kaci Porter is the Director of Campus Ministries at University Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. Kaci is the former student body president of APTS but even working right around the corner still seems like a world away.

So first question, what experience from your seminary education has been the most helpful to you in your ministry so far?

Lindsay: I would say anything practical- SPM, CPE, Sunday and Sacraments and Leadership Development classes, etc... where I got to build up my confidence and experience level. I think those where helpful because that's what I needed most.

Kate: CPE in particular has been incredibly helpful in many of my activities. In my second real week at the church, while the other pastor was away on vacation, I had three church members die. CPE provided me not only with the experience of pastoring people through grief and mourning but also with the confidence that a stranger could view me as a pastor and that I was able to bring God’s love to people during their dark times. I think it has also helped the way I approach so many day-to-day interactions with members of the church, especially our ‘gray-haired’ members.

I also think that my strong theological and youth ministry background from seminary has helped me as I plan worship, write sermons, teach Sunday School, and plan youth activities. I think theologically pretty much subconsciously, as I make small decisions every day. It’s pretty cool to see how instinctive I react, from advocating for full participation from the youth in the life of the church to what table decorations are appropriate in worship.

Kaci: The most helpful experiences I had in seminary were the ones in which I took risks. Like Lindsay said, those experiences proved most helpful because they were the ones I needed most. When I had to do something completely new and for the first time I put time, energy, and effort into it. I guess the point I'm making is that you reap what you sow, and you reap more when you broaden your fields into areas you haven't planted in before.

Question 2, what has been your biggest source of joy in ministry so far?

Lindsay: You would be surprised how many times it's the things you don't want to do or are most hesitant to do that bring you great joy and purpose. I would have to say that's its still Sunday services for me... I go home with such an incredible high and completely in awe of God!

Kate: For me, nothing will ever compare to leading and preaching in worship. To toil at a sermon for hours on end, to pray for inspiration and to speak God’s word, to come to the text on behalf of my congregation, to cry and moan and rejoice in the process – and then for it all to come out on Sunday morning and mean something to someone – that overwhelms my heart every single time. Part of this joy is the congregation to whom I preach, as they have open hearts and minds and ears and listen to what I have to say. Getting their email responses or spoken comments on how wonderful the sermon was last time, how it changed their thoughts, or encouraged or inspired or challenged makes it a huge source of joy.

Another joy I have had is working with the other pastor at Trinity, Rev. Shelley Craig. She is a constant source of knowledge and support and encouragement and inclusion. Early on, she invited me to introduce myself in various places and events as “one of the pastors at Trinity” rather than the associate pastor at Trinity. Shelley sees me as an equal and works so that the congregation and the community sees me that way as well. To have an experienced pastor like Shelley fully support my ministry is a HUGE source of joy.

Kaci: My biggest joy has been preaching and leading worship. In my position, I preach most Sunday evenings during our campus worship service. I basically write the entire order of worship, pick out the music, coordinate with the musicians, preach, write the prayers, etc. It's challenging and very time consuming but it's one of my greatest joys in ministry because I am able to share and shape the faith with others.

And finally, what has been your biggest struggle or stress so far?

Lindsay- Keeping it all together! As a solo pastor, you are in charge of everything (from budgets to church mice) and it can be a bit daunting at times. It's good for developing trust though!

Kate- Well (in case anyone is considering it), graduating, getting married, moving to a new city, starting ministry, and working with immigration services is a bit to much for one year, much less two months. My biggest struggle is all this change hitting me at once. I am all of a sudden a wife and a pastor, even though I feel exactly the same as I did before I gained these titles.

Ministry is overwhelming – with gifts and burdens, struggles and joys, praying and sermonizing and planning worship and leading meetings and making sure it all happens the way it needs to happen. But you probably know that. The stressors that come with that are the expectations that your future congregation will lay on your shoulders. Oh now Kate is here, she will bring us out of decline and bring in the teenagers in droves. Oh now Krystal is here, surely young adults will flock to the church. Oh now Kelly is here, our worship services will be full. Oh now Caitlin is here, pledging will increase through the roof. Oh now Abbey is here, now we will finally have a burst of new life.

On one hand, the expectations are flattering – for people to see your gifts and imagine the ways in which they can flourish as part of the congregation. But on the other hand, the expectations are dangerous – when they are not met immediately (or fairly soon), disappointment will fill the air, and somehow, without you knowing it, you will have failed the test.

And yet that’s the beauty of ministry. It doesn’t depend on whether I succeed or fail, it doesn’t depend on whether I please or annoy people. God is there, pushing and pulling and prodding the pastors and the congregation and the staff and the community. And then you glimpse in these few moments the kin-dom of God, and you can do nothing but praise God for the honor to be a part of it.

Kaci: My biggest struggle has been the tendency to carry (too much) work home with me. I'm still struggling to find balance. I know now why new pastors have a tendency to burn out quickly: it's hard to create space for yourself and your own personal needs in the midst of trying to "get it all done." I don't *want* to see ministry as a lengthy to-do list, but sometimes, admittedly, that's exactly how it feels! ;)

A big thanks to these three amazing women! How would you readers answer these questions? What do these answers teach you about the way you see your future in ministry?