Caring for Your Pastor During the Holidays

The holidays are a wonderful time when we get to celebrate the birth of Christ and focus on what matters most. However, it can also be incredibly stressful–particularly for those who are leading others who may have increased needs or high expectations.

Your pastor (and maybe their family) may be feeling a little bit more of that stress than you may realize. Here are a few things you can do to help lighten the load and help him or her feel appreciated!

Offer to Run an Errand

If you know your pastor well enough and you think they’d be comfortable, offer to run an errand or two. Sometimes just giving back that hour so that they can catch up and you can to go to the store or pick up a relative from the airport is a huge blessing.

Offer to Make a Meal or Provide Child Care

Everyone needs a break now and then, right? If you’re able to, give your pastor (and their spouse if they have one) a break by cooking a meal or providing them childcare while they do something else, a little care can go a long way.

Be a Positive Church Member

While you do not need to like everything your pastor does and should be carefully comparing his or her words with that of God’s, this may be a good time to help quell any negative thoughts or vibes going on within the church. If someone is upset about something like a song choice or perhaps the new carpet in the sanctuary, perhaps you can step in and kindly remind them of what is important, instead of leaving that job to your pastor.

Give a Gift Card

Especially in smaller churches, pastors may not be paid very much. Sometimes a gift card to Target, the grocery store, or a local restaurant eases their financial burden.

Encourage Him or Her

Even though the Lord leads us and leads church leaders, we all get discouraged at times. If your pastor has said or done something that means a lot to you, make sure that you say it to them! It doesn’t matter if it was a message in the sermon or if it is the way they constantly serve. Say it in a card, in a phone call, or let them know face-to-face.