I posted this on Facebook Christmas eve. I woke up just feeling weary and I needed to find a way to express that weariness. My first draft was a single sentence about my weariness, but I scrapped it. I figured it would serve as nothing but catharsis, and one of the things I’m sure of is that social media catharsis can do a great deal of harm. So I decided instead to write a message for my fellow pastor friends on Facebook, acknowledging the weariness folks are feeling and offering a small bit of thankfulness. It struck a cord among my Facebook circles, so I figured I’d share it here as well.

The Message

To my pastor friends who are weary.

Weary of pastors defying the pandemic in a faux declaration of faith, and people assuming they are examples of what all churches are doing.

Weary of telling people they can’t be in the sanctuary during worship.

Weary of saying “no” when people ask, “Can’t we…just this once?”

Weary of empty rooms, cancelled activities, all-remote worship.

Weary of holy-days coming and going without in-person celebrations.

Weary of watching friends in ministry get run out of churches for going along with CoVid mitigation efforts (or being run out).

Weary of not being able to visit the sick or the lonely.

Weary of death, when our message is life.

I love you all, thanks for your faithfulness.

Merry Christmas.