newsletters and interviews

The congregation I serve has a monthly newsletter that is sent out to our members and friends. When I arrived, there was a "Pastor's Column" as is traditional in many church newsletters. I'll let you in on a little secret, though - writing the newsletter column is often a dreaded task on a pastor's to-do list. It's not that we don't like writing for you - we do! But it can be difficult to think of a topic, it takes time to craft our words for a limited space, and it often seems like no one reads the newsletter, so why bother?

For a while I solved the "difficult to think of a topic" problem by choosing a series theme. I wrote one series about our stained glass windows and the stories they depict, and another that went through Luther's Small Catechism. 

These were interesting pieces to research and write, but then I got lazy (or smart!) and decided to use that space in the newsletter to learn more about the members of our congregation. I polled my sisters in the YCWI (Young Clergy Women International) Facebook group about questions to include and then asked a different church member each month to respond to the questions. 

I don't know about anyone else, but I read these interviews with much interest and have learned a lot over the past few months. As our December newsletter deadline flew past, I realized I hadn't asked anyone to complete the interview questions, and decided to do them myself (and share them here!). 

Things I found: 1) This felt like good preparation for writing my pastor's column for the annual congregational meeting in January. (Ack! I have to write a pastor's column for the annual congregational meeting!)  

2) These are good questions that hit at something different than what I share in sermons or in passing. It's important for the congregation to know me just as much as I know them! 

3) The "what are you good at" question was hard to answer! In some ways it's pretty similar to "what fills your time" (which, side note, perhaps ought to have included things like laundry, grocery shopping, picking up after a toddler, cooking, errands, and scrolling Facebook). At the same time, as a culture, we often glorify how busy people are, but allowing people (especially women) to be bold about their gifts and talents is not as acceptable and feels like bragging or self-promotion. But! If we proclaim that each of us is created in the image of God and has been given gifts and talents that are best put to use when they are shared with others, then we certainly ought to feel joy, satisfaction, and pride in talking about those gifts in appropriate ways and without self-deprecation! 

So, here we go. I interviewed myself: 

Name: Pastor Kerri Clark

What brought you to Trinity, and how long have you been attending?

I was called to serve as pastor of Trinity in October 2014. It’s hard to believe we’ve been here for over four years! In reading Trinity’s Ministry Site Profile, I remember being drawn to a community that was open to newness, and also by the proximity to a call for Daniel – this seemed like the perfect opportunity for us as a family.

What keeps you here?

Over the past four years I’ve loved getting to know all of you and have appreciated your support and flexibility as we’ve tried new programs, liturgies, music, conversations, and more. I still feel called to this place, especially as we embark on an intensive visioning and listening process over the next number of months. It is exciting to think about what new things God might be calling us to do and to be!

What fills your time?

Being your pastor keeps me busy! Writing, lesson planning, visiting, reading, attending meetings, leading worship, updating our website and Facebook page, and more! I also serve our synod as a member of the Resource Center Advisory Board and Candidacy Committee. 

When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time with Daniel and Wade, playing board games, reading (mostly fiction), and practicing calligraphy and handlettering. I have an active Instagram account and Facebook page for my lettering projects and have some things for sale at the Appalachian Creativity Center here in town.

What are you good at?

I’m good at leading worship, preaching, singing, and teaching. These are among my favorite parts of being a pastor. I’m also good at calligraphy and other creative things, writing, planning, and organizing.

Share a favorite memory of a worship service or event here.

Though there have been many memorable services and events (too many to list!), my installation service way back in January 2015 was especially memorable. The preacher was Pastor Chris Bowen, who was my pastor when I was in high school and now serves as the chaplain at Roanoke College, my alma mater. It was great to spend time with the Bowen family and hear an (as usual) excellent sermon from Pastor Chris, where he made connections to the Youghiogheny River – “a river that flows in the opposite direction” – and our ministry together as pastor (newly ordained, young, and female) and congregation.

Share your favorite hymn/Bible verse/Bible story.

One of my favorite hymns (I have lots!) is “O God Beyond All Praising,” hymn 797 in the blue WOV hymnal. It’s the hymn I walked down the aisle to at our wedding, and it was sung at our ordination service. When the time comes, I also hope it will be played at my funeral service. I love the reminder of the “blessings without number and mercies without end” that we receive from God, as well as the assurance that “whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill, we’ll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still.”

Share about a time God seemed especially present with you.

As a college student, I worked for three summers at two different camps as a camp counselor. Something about that time and place set apart for worship and community helped me notice God’s presence more often and more closely. These summers showed me a glimpse of the Kingdom of God, where people with different interests, from different backgrounds and families came together to explore and eat and sing together. Each week, kids who had been strangers just four days earlier were inseparable. They were also so important for my process of discerning a call to be a pastor, and gave me the gift of diverse friendships.

What do you think God is calling our congregation towards?

Life and ministry look very different now than they did 50 or even 20 years ago. I think God is calling us to new ways of telling the story of God’s love to people who have never heard it or who had a bad experience with church in the past, and new ways of connecting our worship and life together to people “out there”/beyond our walls. This will probably look different than what we’re used to, and will probably involve some grieving and disappointment. We take comfort, though, in a God who is all about the resurrection and new life that come from death and decay.