Uniqueness of Vocation

One of the things I love about being a pastor is that you are invited by God into the vocation as a way to be wholly yourself. In other words, you are not asked to change your personality or apologize for who you are or how you do things because you are called at you. Or at least this should be one of the best aspects of ministry. Often congregation members will expect you to be the last pastor or their favorite pastor. But a few weeks ago I had a whole new experience in disregard for our uniqueness in this vocation from an unexpected source - another pastor.

When asked what I had done the previous day and what I was doing that day, I spoke about going to funerals. Not officiating at funerals, simply going. One was for a man I dearly cherished at a local care home and while I was not his home pastor, I had been a pastoral presence in his life. That day I was going to a viewing for the sister of one of my congregation members, a woman I had never met. Yet, I felt called to go to this particular viewing and the funeral the following day. Do I always do this as a practice - go to funerals for those whom I did not pastor or even those I did not know. No. But I felt that it was the right thing to do in that moment. Call it being lead by pastoral intuition or the Holy Spirit, it was where I was supposed to be. And the other pastor looked at me like I had three heads and spoke to me in a tone that indicated that I was doing the wrong thing. The result - I started to doubt myself. This person had been in ministry much longer then I had. But in the end, I did what I felt called to do, and it was the right thing. I knew it with the embraces I received from my congregation members. Their words of deep appreciation. I knew it when I was able to share stories about the man I knew from the Care Home. I just knew. And as I sit down and reflect upon this several days later, I knew that I needed to trust myself. I knew that I am called as a unique person to a particular place and have to make decisions each and every day about how I will live into my calling. How I am to be a pastor. It may not look the same each day or even with every congregation member. But I need to trust that the Holy Spirit will lead me to what is uniquely right, just as I am uniquely called.