Pastor's Life - Making Milkshakes

Making Ministry Milkshakes by Rev. Ivan Herman When Hurricane Helene hit Asheville, North Carolina, it took almost 36 hours to hear from my sister and more than 48 hours to receive word on my parents. I don’t live in that part of the country, so there was nothing I could do other than wait and pray. Those long hours of unknowing grew steadily with low-grade anxiety. Waiting, I tried to calm myself by speculating that I would have heard if they had been evacuated or rescued. They were probably just fine and were stuck in the house with no power and no cell service. I imagined that Dad wouldn’t want the ice cream to go to waste, so he was probably making milkshakes for neighbors before it all melted. This was, in fact, exactly what happened. Weathering the storm wasn’t the hard part; it was learning to live through the slow disaster recovery after the storm. When they were finally able to venture outside the neighborhood, the only way to purchase vital fuel, food, or services was with cash. Credit cards doubled as mud scrapers. Apple Wallet, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, Cash App were all useless because they needed electricity and an internet connection. Personal checks were about as helpful as promises you don’t intend to keep. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, it was fundamentally cold, hard cash or nothing. What is the equivalent of cash when it comes to ministry?  I’m not necessarily talking about stewardship, budgets or the financial side of ministry (though they might be your forte), but what are the fundamentals you know you can rely on? When all other processes fail, what do you have that you know will always be accepted? Is it the relationships of trust you have built? Is it your listening ear honed by years of pastoral caregiving? Is it pouring a cup of cold water or extending table hospitality? Continue Reading... Rev. Ivan Herman has served as the associate pastor at Carmichael Presbyterian Church since 2009 and is active in the Presbytery of North Central California. He grew up in Ecuador and Colombia, and has previously served as pastor or ruling elder in Presbyterian congregations in Memphis, TN, Washington, DC, and San Antonio, TX. He holds an annual pass to U.S. National Parks as well as degrees from American University, Wesley Theological Seminary, and Wake Forest University. Ivan lives in Sacramento with his spouse, Susan. They keep a well-stocked fridge for their two teenagers, but the ice cream never even makes it to the freezer. Featured Resources Giving sacrificially is our calling “The widow believes that she will still have enough even if she gives sacrificially. We are called to do the same,” Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett shares in his lectionary preview for November. Read blog Financial Health Assessment The Financial Health Assessment is a tool for learning more about your church's finances and how your congregation compares to other PC(USA) churches your size. You will be provided a detailed report with links to helpful resources. Get started

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