Pastor's Life - Lessons from a Pigsty

Lessons from a Pigsty by Rev. Shannon White Now in my 34th year of ordained ministry, like many of us, I’ve seen my share of hilarious and not-so-hilarious issues in church life. Each situation has taught me more about myself, given me a chance to grow and given me an opportunity to see God’s handiwork. Here’s the story of one such situation. Some years ago, I travelled to northern Vietnam to be part of a week-long bicycling trip. I had found the opportunity on the internet and was drawn to it because it looked to combine my love of cycling with my love of travel. I couldn’t wait to experience a new culture as well as the physical challenge. I trained as much as possible beforehand, but given my full-time work schedule in the church I was serving, along with parenting duties, I knew I was not in my best shape. It was billed as an “expert” course since it would take us through the mountains, but, I thought, hey, you only live once! We flew into Hanoi and travelled overnight by train arriving close to the Chinese border. Our group of four dropped our luggage at our hotel and prepared for our first day’s ride. It was then I realized that this trip was as much off-road biking as on-road. Uh-oh. I had cycled many miles on a road bike but only a little on a mountain bike, and only on moderately rough roads. This was different. I knew I was in trouble.

Rev. Shannon White has been ordained in the PCUSA for 33 years. She is currently serving as Interim Head of Staff at Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church in Dutchess County, NY. She loves to travel with her family and play with her dog, Gidget. Most recent trip? Namibia, Africa in July 2024 to visit her daughter currently serving in the Peace Corps.

Featured Resources

Creating a Future - Lectionary Preview　 "Each life step invites you and me into a whirl of creativity, reflecting awe and wonder in God’s creation." Rev. Dr. Glen Bell shares about how walking helps strengthen his relationship with God. Church Financial Leadership Coaching Program The Presbyterian Foundation is pleased to offer a 12-month coaching program that will pair a pastoral leader with a trained coach to offer a contextualized approach to church financial leadership.

Pastor's Life - From Saddle to Soul

From Saddle to Soul by Erin Dunigan Let’s be honest: pastoring is demanding. Between sermons, counseling sessions, committee meetings, and the ever-present needs of your congregation, finding a moment to breathe can feel like a luxury. Yet, amidst the whirlwind, haven’t we all felt that yearning for a deeper connection with God? That which called us to this work in the first place? What which we wanted our lives to be about? But, in modern life, and in modern church life, in the midst of Bible studies, prayer groups, and outreach programs, not to mention session meetings, the idea of connecting with God can often seem like a luxury, rather than a given. It is as though the faster we move, the harder we push, the more elusive that connection seems.

Erin Dunigan is an ordained evangelist and teaching elder in the PC(USA). She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. She serves as a photographer, writer and communications consultant and lives near the border in Baja California, Mexico. In her free time, she is an avid gardener and leads horseback riding tours along one of the most pristine stretches of beach in Northern Baja. Send comments on this article to robyn.sekula@presbyterianfoundation.org.

Featured Resources

Spirit-Timed Disclosure Who is Jesus and who are we? This is the question that Rev. Dr. Neal Presa discusses in the June Lectionary Preview which includes a preview for each Sunday. Church Financial Leadership Coaching Program The Presbyterian Foundation is pleased to offer a 12-month coaching program that will pair a pastoral leader with a trained coach to offer a contextualized approach to church financial leadership.

Pastor's Life - Time Away

Time Away by Rev. Lorenzo Small As pastors it is very easy to fall into a pattern of belief that we must always be available. That we must be ready to address every need and situation brought to our attention. So, we keep our cell phones on 24/7. We constantly check our email. And we feel that we must provide a good reason for taking vacation, tending to our family, or just simply saying no, especially when doing so means someone we serve has to go without. Recently, I shared with my Session my 2024 vacation and continuing education schedule. One week of vacation, which will be my first week of vacation for 2024, I felt an urgent need to explain why I had to take vacation during that time, considering I would miss Palm Sunday. After leaving the meeting I asked myself why I felt bad about missing that Sunday. I realized it was the result of my need to meet everyone’s expectations, even at the expense of taking needed time away. As I considered our text, I find that Jesus’ consistent pattern of withdrawing (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 6:12) for time to himself was much more than about prayer. Yes, prayer is essential to our faithfulness and effectiveness and Jesus provides a gleaming witness to this truth. However, I believe this time was also just time alone. Not having to respond to the demands of the people or the expectations of his disciples. Jesus simply needed to be alone, to say no. His stepping away gave him time to breathe and, maybe, just simply take it all in. Maybe his withdrawing better equipped him to carry out his assignment. Jesus was human, as well, after all.

Rev. Lorenzo Small serves as Lead Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Battle Creek, Michigan. He is a graduate of North Carolina A & T State University where he studied Finance. Following graduation, he moved to St. Paul, Minn., where he worked for a number of years in the corporate world (for such companies as 3M Corporation and Eli Lilly). While there, he felt the call to the ministry. He served as a Baptist minister and later was ordained and installed as pastor of Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, S.C. He is a graduate of Union Presbytery Seminary (Charlotte, N.C.) and a board member of the Foundation for Reformed Theology and Presbyterian Heritage Center. Rev. Small previously served as pastor of First United Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, N.C.

Featured Resources

Mantle Passing: The Extraordinary Witness of Faithful Stewards "Unexpected, ordinary places are made holy by God's transforming presence in our lives." Rev. Dr. David Davis shares a lectionary preview for February discussing how the story of Elijah and Elisha provides glimpses of God. 70 years of love Rev. Dr. Jim Reese and his wife Neola celebrated 70 years of marriage before Rev. Dr. Jim Reese passed away. Watch this short interview to hear their lessons on love and life they learned in those 70 years.

Pastor's Life - Let Go and Let God

Let Go and Let God: What does that even mean? by Rev. Shannon White No doubt, you’ve heard the slogan, “Let go and Let God.” It may seem extremely trite, especially if you’re in the middle of a life situation which calls for such an attitude and action. Those words, however simplistic as they may seem, may offer a profound lesson, and can lead to an experience of deep inner peace. I can relate. Let me explain. On August 27, I said good-bye to my daughter as she embarked on an adventure with the Peace Corps for the next 27 months. She has been assigned to Namibia on the western coast of Africa just north of South Africa. I have traveled to many countries, but I have not (yet) been to the continent of Africa. I have no idea, nor did she before she departed, what her living situation will be like. She has been told that she could either be living in a hut or an apartment. She knows she will be teaching in a secondary school situation and teaching life skills, gender equality and HIV education to students ages 9 to 24. This experience will, no doubt, change her and the trajectory of her life, as she encounters a new culture, meets new people and welcomes them into her life. I couldn’t be prouder of her vision and service.

Rev. Shannon White is the Pastor of Spiritual Development at Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich, CT. She has been ordained since 1991 and has served churches in New York and CT. She is also a two-time Emmy-nominated television journalist and the author of two books: The Invisible Conversations with Your Aging Parents; and How Was School Today? Fine.

Featured Resources

Listening for the Spirit of God In her Stewardship Reflection for the month of January, Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelley asks, "How do we walk in the ways of Jesus and listen for the Spirit of God?" A Prayer for Peace  We are so grateful for the ways in which you supporteed churches, ministries, and your own community. Spend two minutes with us to hear this important message.

Thus Saith the Lord As people of God, we seek a word from the Lord. "Whenever and wherever God speaks, powerful things happen – sometimes seen, oftentimes, not; sometimes immediate, oftentimes, not," Rev. Dr. Neal Presa writes in the January Lectionary preview. Offer online giving at your church Did you know the Presbyterian Foundation offers an online giving program that will allow your church to accept gifts securely, right through your own website? If one of your 2024 goals is to introduce online giving to your congregation, let us help.