We had our Harvest Thanksgiving yesterday. The preacher has lots to choose from, I suppose, from our inability as a human race to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has enough to eat, to ecological themes of taking care of Mother Earth, to the theme of gratitude, or our lack of it!
As I thought about the gratitude thing, I wondered about the gratitude of clergy. We are privileged enough to be able to speak from the pulpit about gratitude, but I wonder, sometimes, about how grateful clergy are to be in full-time ministry, with housing, doing things for money that the vast majority of our people "share in" with no financial reward.
Last Sunday, lay folk conducted our worship, admirably well, with no payment, but to bring in a priest for two services would have cost the parish around £50 or so. It could be argued, too, that the Sunday in question elevated the importance and validity of the Reserved Sacrament.
Priests are given stipend rather than a salary, to enable us to live life in the service of God without having to work as other mortals do. How good is that? Almost as good as being paid to play football for a living! We have a responsibility to those who make this possible, but do we say "thank you" to them enough? Do we ever thank them for their efforts to support ministry and keep buildings going that will ultimately lead to a harvest of souls?
A murmered "thanks" at the end of a fundraiser is fine, but not enough. We should be grateful for all that Mother Church gives us, and our response, in ministry, should be equally generous!
