Pastor Appreciation: An Opportunity to Show Our Love

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Justin Serrano

What do you appreciate most about your pastors? I know, just reading that question probably gave you a small headache. It gave a lot of people within the Harvest congregation a headache too. Not because we don’t appreciate our pastors, but because there is so much to appreciate, how are we supposed to narrow it down to one thing?

On Sunday, October 21st, Harvest banded together to show appreciation to our pastors during Pastor Appreciation Month. During both of our services, senior pastor Jason Dickenson, children’s pastor Lisa Dickenson and our youth pastors Tyler and Natalie Harris stood on stage as multiple people presented them with gifts, speeches and many hugs to show appreciation for all that they do for us.

Sometimes I don’t think we realize just how much our pastors do for us until someone asks us to name one thing we appreciate about them. Following each service, I went around asking various volunteers, families and children to name something that they appreciate about their pastors and here’s what they had to say:

I love how humble they are. Some pastors aren’t personable, but Pastor Jason and Lisa are just so approachable.” —Anonymous 

“I love that they’re willing to work with you in the valleys, as well as celebrate with you on the mountains.” —Anonymous

“They care more about others than themselves.” —Ben McGinty

“My favorite thing about our pastoral family is their ability and willingness to meet people where they are.” —Mitch Kennedy

“There’s just so many things! Their love for the church. Their love for the community. Their love for the congregation. Their love for God. I love how they follow the heart of God and the direction of which God has led them and is bringing them to. I love how they’re helping to lead us in that direction as well.” —Anonymous 

“For us personally, it would be that they were one of the few people that believed in us and our ministry.” —The Murffs

“What I appreciate most about my pastors is that they love on my children even when I can’t. Every one of our pastors does that.” —The Lowes

“Tyler feeds me. Lisa feeds me. They just feed me a lot! Just kidding, they’re just really cool.” —Anonymous 

“What I appreciate most about my pastors is that they are smiling 24/7.” —The Halls

 

For Pastor Tyler and Natalie from Harvest Youth:

They’re supportive and so much fun!” —Anonymous 

“I’m just really glad they have Hermione (Natalie’s cat). She’s my favorite Harris.” —Anonymous 

“They’re always here before service doing stuff for us.” —Angel

“I just appreciate that they are who they are. They show us an amazing example of a really strong Christian couple. They show us what it’s like to be good, strong Christ followers.” —Anonymous 

 

My personal favorites were from the children. As we all know, children can be brutally honest, and in this case, that made the comments all the better when I asked, “What is something you love about Pastor Lisa?” For Pastor Lisa from Harvest Kids:

That she is fun!”

“That she say’s hi to me.”

“She’s good with kids.” 

“She’s so nice!”

“That she loves God!”

“She does games with us.”

 

As you can see, this represents only a few people from of our large congregation, but I feel like these people got a mutual point across—how much we love our pastors. Quite often, people don’t see the long hours our pastors spend working, attending meetings, or every other part of the job that goes unnoticed to shepherd our church and better the community. But they are always ready to step up to the plate and we are so thankful for that!

For instance, parents don’t always see Pastor Lisa fighting with the printer in order to have the lessons printed on time for service, or Pastor Jason driving over to the church right after dinner to make sure his sermon is in line with the word God has placed on his heart. People don’t always see Pastor Tyler running around the kid’s area, trying to fix the equipment before service begins, or Pastor Natalie holding our teenage girls as they come to her upset.
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So, from all of us to you, in the words of board member Ben Medina, “Don’t lose that spark.”

 

Thank you, Pastor Jason, for guiding us in the direction the Lord is leading us into.

Thank you, Pastor Lisa, for investing in the future of our children.

Thank you, Pastor Tyler, for raising up our teenagers to be great leaders.

Thank you, Pastor Natalie, for speaking life into the lives of our youth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no benefit to you. —Hebrews 13:17

 

 

Love each other. Love your church. Love your city.
Harvest, Go be the Church!

 

If you have any ideas for a good blog post consisting of stories within our church family, we would love to hear from you. Send your idea, along with your contact info to: [email protected]