This has been a challenging year for many of our Pastors, so during October’s Pastor Appreciation Month, we want to express gratitude for them in a variety of ways…
First, we are encouraging our SCBI church leaders to do something special during Pastor Appreciation Month to honor the man of God who faithfully serves your congregation. If you need some ideas, here are a couple of recommended websites to look at: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/church/celebrating-pastor-appreciation-month/ and https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/pastor-ideas-for-pastor-appreciation-month-in-october. In addition, you might consider giving your Pastor a couple of days off and paying for him to attend the SCBI Pastor’s Get-A-Way or Bi-vocational Pastors and Wives Retreat (information below).
Second, for our Pastor friends whose work schedule allows them to have a couple of days off on a Monday and Tuesday, we are inviting you to the SCBI Pastor’s Get-A-Way on November 8-9 at Highland Lakes Camp. This will give you an affordable opportunity to get away for some personal relaxation at Highland Lakes Camp. There will not be any program to attend then – just a devotional and some fellowship with other pastors at mealtimes. The total cost is $40 for your lodging, four meals and a devotional book to encourage you to enjoy some time alone with God. The registration deadline is November 1, and you can register now at www.scbi.org.
Third, for our Bi-Vocational Pastors who lead their congregations and work another job during the week to support their families, we want to invite you to participate in our SCBI Bi-vocational Pastors Zoom Cohort that begins on Monday, November 1, at 7:00 PM CT/8:00 PM ET. You will meet for an hour once every two months to share your best practices with other Bi-vocational Pastors, as well as to encourage and pray for each other. If you are interested, contact John Horn at jhorn@scbi.org and we will send you the Zoom invite.
Fourth, to enable our Bi-Vocational Pastors and Wives to get away together for some worship, training and fellowship, you are invited to the SCBI Bi-Vocational Pastors and Wives Retreat on March 25-26, 2022, at Highland Lakes Camp. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Joe Wright, Executive Director of the Bi-vocational & Small Church Leadership Network in Tennessee. He will speak during worship, and lead the Pastor breakouts; his wife will lead the wives’ breakouts. The total cost per couple is $75 for your lodging, meals and the program. The registration deadline is March 11, 2022; registration will be available online at www.scbi.org beginning December 1, 2021.
Pastors, if there are other ways that we can serve you this month, or if you would just like to get together for coffee to talk about your church’s next step, email me at jhorn@scbi.org. We love you, and we are continuing to pray for you!