What’s for dinner? Why a good roast, of course! Sunday after Sunday, week after week, without fail, many churchgoers go home for a roast dinner. What type of roast? Why, their pastor, of course! The poor guy (or gal) is thoroughly cooked, - roasted to the fullest extent possible, dissected, swallowed, and then regurgitated, or spit out! When the meal is over, those involved leave with a false sense of security that they’ve done their part. They’ve thoroughly hashed through all dislikes, dissatisfactions, and whatever else that they could have done.

What? You’d never do that? Never? Well, I trust and pray that this is true of anyone reading this little piece that I’m writing this day. Now, in defense of the untold numbers who choose not partake in the weekly Sunday roast, my most sincere appreciation goes out to you! And I sincerely mean that. You know who you are. In fact, you not only know who you are but you constantly pray for and express appreciation for your pastor, as well as others in authority roles in your church.

As a pastor, I have been both the victim as well as the joyful recipient of both. I am thankful to say that, overall, people in my ministries have been loving, supportive and openly appreciative. So why bring this up? There are those who need to realize the importance of honoring and respecting God’s anointed due to the high calling, as well as the eternal responsibilities and eternal consequences, of such a calling.

I currently enjoy a very warm, loving, and supportive fellowship at Calvary Chapel East Mountain, of Edgewood, New Mexico, where Pastor Terry Milford shares his ministry talents in a very special way. I am also thankful to say that this fine ministry is blessed with a pastor such as our own Pastor Terry. It was a bit of an adjustment to me to move back to New Mexico due to my elderly mother’s needs. I gladly did it as I feel that is what the Lord would have me to do. And we need to love and appreciate our parents and support them as they’ve loved and cared for us, as well. The various seasons of life have a way of changing our roles and responsibilities. Mom had moved out west with me from the Finger Lakes area of Upstate New York many years ago. I had since felt a calling to the ministry and had the privilege of serving as a church planter and pastor for many years. So when I made the move back to New Mexico many years later, a lot had happened in life, and it would now be a strange adjustment to attend another fellowship. As it turned out, it has been a blessed one. I thoroughly love and appreciate my church family out here.

Today, our pastor openly expressed gratitude for a special person who anonymously reaches out to him, as well as other people involved in the ministry, in a very tangible way. It seems that as the Christmas season approaches and our pastor was feeling the stress, as we so often do, of the extras that are needed in caring for the family, that a special card arrived in the mail with what was obviously a very welcome and needed love-gift! That touched my heart immensely as my mind went back to days past when the Lord has blessed me, as well. I am well aware of the pressures of ministry and what is involved, often with little or sometimes no showing of appreciation. It’s not that we minister for recognition. In fact, it’s just the opposite. But I have caught inklings of stress that our pastor is under from little comments that are made from time to time. He carries it well. I have a lot of loving respect and admiration for my pastor. He’s a great guy. And he has a supportive spouse, which I’m sure holds value beyond description for him.

So, as we are in another holiday season, have you expressed your own loving watchcare and appreciation for your pastor? Now, notice that I didn’t ask you if you agree with all that he or she says or done. Maybe your pastor doesn’t strike you in the same way that ours does here at our local fellowship. But, if not, what can you do to help him or her to be a better pastor? Do you pray for your leadership daily? In this busy world that we all live in with multiple responsibilities, do you realize that he or she has as much, if not often more, pressures and responsibilities than you actually might have, as busy as you might be? Why not sit down and drop him or her a card, with a note inside, and, if you can afford to share just a tad more, perhaps a special love-gift of appreciation?

May God bless you and yours during yet another precious holiday season as you care and share with the love of Jesus Christ that is so special and so intimately available to each of us.

Oh yeah, maybe I shouldn’t need to ask you, but, - What’s for dinner?