One day as I was driving I got stopped at a red light. A truck next to me was full of four guys. The guy closest to my window started waving at me and asked me to roll down my window. Now generally I don't do this but decided to humor the guy. The guy was in need of directions to a gentlemen's club. I leaned out my window to inform him that he had just asked a minister (female minister at that) for directions to a gentlemen's club. He immediately went red in the face and started to say that they weren't going to go watch. His friends had been there last night and had left his wallet (like that's really any better). I was nice and gave them directions to the other side of town and then said I'd pray for them. It's not like I hide the fact that I'm clergy, there's a big clergy sticker on the back window. When you're asking for directions to the gentlemen's club please consider who you're asking. What an interesting encounter with those in this world.
As a minister I have the honor of performing rites and ceremonies for people at a variety of stages of life: baptisms, blessings, marriages, funerals, etc. I usually enjoy planning and leading these events. But lately I've had a rash of folks shocked that as a minister, I would have a fee to do some of these services. So lets talk about why I have fees. To start with, if you are a member of my congregation you do get my services as a part of my contract with the congregation as long as they are spelled out in the contract. Generally if you're a member of the congregation I serve, it is expected that I will preform baptisms, blessings, funerals, weddings, etc for you because I want to remind you of God's continuous blessing in your life and especially at important moments in your life. However some folks are shocked that there would be an honorarium suggested for the minister. The reality is that these blessings, weddings, funerals, etc. are extra work in our wee...
Comments
Post a Comment