A Marvelous Catch of Fish!

Literally.  Sometimes a “fisher of men” needs to be a “fisher of fish.” 

Last Sunday a member of my congregation asked if everything was ok.  I said I was a bit disheveled.  It’s understandable, Lent, Holy Week, Easter for two congregations can be quite a load.  The week after is a let down.  As the church year reaches a crescendo, the pastor’s time is at a premium.  The expectations are very high.  When Easter Monday comes it isn’t unusual for a pastor to crash.  This year, the crash lasted a whole week.  She could tell.

“Why don’t you go out to our pond and do some fishing tomorrow?  The fish are really biting.”  It was a wonderful example of Christian care.  A member of the congregation caring for her pastor.  It made my day.  I wasn’t sure I’d go, I hadn’t been fishing in years.  It didn’t really matter.  The suggestion was life giving, the body of Christ working as the body works. 

As it happened, I went.  They were biting.  After a few hours of wonderful time in the sun, a marvelous catch of fish.  I was refreshed, encouraged, revived.  Thank God for wonderful lay folk, who think about the personal needs of their pastor.

Rev. Jonathan C. Watt