I wonder if ministers ever get tired of....

[disney junky]

being asked to pray over meals?

 

[CowboyCO]

Lots of men in my family are pastors and to my knowledge, they don't get tired of that. They do get tired of the stress of being plugged into all the problems within their congregation. Family strife, health, financial, etc. It's a big burden.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

IMO, I would think not, as many of them are show-boats and like being center of attention. NOT IN A BAD WAY

 

[Geoff_M]

I occasionally do wedding photography, and at the receptions I often get put at the table with the minister. At the last wedding, I thought about how ministers might feel about so often having to set in a room full of people they don't know (or may only know a few) and eating some sort of chicken at these affairs.

 

[bored]

I would think that most ministers wouldn't see prayer as a tedious event that they would get "tired" of doing!

 

[jen0610]

At our church dinners - mens retreats, womens retreats, pot lucks, youth dinners - the pastor never says the prayer. It is always one of the church deacons who does it. Don't know about any of the funtions that he is asked to over see that are outside of the regular dinners, though.

 

[dzorn]

being asked to pray over meals?

If a minister is tired of praying, he needs to pray for guidance if it truly is his calling.

Denise in MI

 

[Pembo]

Rev Dh says no it's just part of the job. Just don't ask him to do it at a private family function...then he's just "dad" not a minister.

At his last church, he got tired of green bean casseroles. There always seemed to be at least 4 or 5 of them at every potluck and it was a small congregation.

 

[lovesmurfs]

At his last church, he got tired of green bean casseroles. There always seemed to be at least 4 or 5 of them at every potluck and it was a small congregation.

At a minister's ordination ceremony when I was growing up, the District Superintendent gave one bit of advice to the new pastor: "Learn to like jello."

 

[disykat]

I think they might get discouraged if they feel like others aren't comfortable saying the prayer themselves. I'm sure it is their hope that, barring extreme shyness, others get comfortable praying publicly. However, in general, I'm sure they're pretty willing to pray at any request.

Our social group includes several ministers, and in general our 'rule' if we are praying at a meal is that the host prays.

 

[Pembo]

At a minister's ordination ceremony when I was growing up, the District Superintendent gave one bit of advice to the new pastor: "Learn to like jello."

When DH was single he always brought jello to the dinners. They even printed his recipe in the newsletter. lol

 

[C.Ann]

If a minister is tired of praying, he needs to pray for guidance if it truly is his calling.

Denise in MI

I was going to say something along the same lines..

 

[emma'smom]

DF has been a minister for 40+ years.... Praying a church events is part of the work...and it is expected.

However, ministers get called upon to pray at a lot of non-church events. We have the holiday dinner prayer issue too. When asked, he always graciously leads the family prayer. However, dd5 has started them the past few years (mostly just repeating a Sunday School prayer) and I notice that DF usually encourages dd and then that becomes the prayer.

Also, DF ends up doing all the family weddings and funerals. He's retired now...but still does all of these. While I don't think he "minds", it is an interesting role that he fills in the extended family. None of the family were/are members of his church (because they don't live in the same town). I think it must have been very hard for him to do his brother's funeral and his own mother's funeral.

Incidentally-- my DF always made it a policy NOT to attend wedding receptions of church members. If he didn't, he would be at one every few week-ends and where does one draw the line. In truth, many families extend the invitation as a courtesy....and are just as happy not to have to pay for two more dinners.

 

[worm761]

I am sure they don't. I would guess it would go with the territory.

Your thread did remind me of our Reverand at our church. He is retired now and it is sad to go to the family church and not see him there. He was such a wonderful man. He sat with my mother through her radiation treatment when she, herself, was radioactive. He was brave, said God would watch over him. He is very much missed in the church. Thanks for the memories.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Great thread, I had a pastor, and alot of us had gone out to eat. He never tells people what he does, very humble, someone chimed to the owner of the resturant, this guy I guess was expecting a huge prayer, well he got Lord bless this estasblishment and the food. The look was priceless. Jo

 

[Michelle and crew]

I live amongst pastors and church workers. I don't mind being called upon to prayer, and I've never seen any indication that they do either. It isn't as though it is difficult.

My husband went to summer long summer camp and campers were randomly called upon to pray. The boys quickly learned the basic "For that which we are about to receive make us truly thankful." Now, they were uncomfortable.

 

[Buckalew11]

I don't think so.
I think if anyone who prays gets "tired" of it, they'd better have a long talk with God.

Prayer is a privilege--we GET to talk with God, our creator. Just thinking about that makes it much more awesome. Not something to trivialize or take for granted.