I would like to read some discussion on the "annual call" of a pastor. This is, of course, when the pastor is called annually, usually at the time of year when Sunday School teachers, etc. are elected. Some churches practice it while others don't.
What is its origin? What is the purpose? Is it necessary? Does the church of which you are a member practice it?
Bro. Adrian. I do not have a clue as to when the anual call began. It probally came into existance with the anual business meeting. The only time I was asked about it was at my first Church. I refused to be called on an anual basis. When a Church calls for a year they are obligated legally for 1 year salary just as any contract. It also prevents a Church from dismissing a Pastor for any reason for 1 year, so there fore I have never submitted to an anual call.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I've only been the member of one church that practiced this, and I was her pastor. I asked them to stop it, but they had some particular pastor who, in the past, had convinced them this was best. The pastor supposedly wanted to be in a 1 year contract type thing, so that he wouldn't feel the awkward situation of leaving when it was time for him to leave. He would just wait until the next annual meeting, and quit. The church was so thoroughly convinced that this annual call was out of a kind heart towards pastors who may wish to leave.
ReplyDeleteAs to the purpose, this was the main purpose. The second purpose was to discuss any problems they may have had about me (the current pastor.) As far as I know, they never had any since almost a moment after I stepped outside they were calling me back inside.
This was a church full of elderly people, all over age 60 and some over 80. These people may not have the origin of annual call, but I bet they practice it the same way it was done long ago. While I don't like the annual call, it wasn't a big deal. I knew they were just going to call me right back in a moment after I stepped outside, so it didn't matter. They were a loving and kind church.
Should a pastor resign at the annual business meeting, so that the church might consider calling him?? I offered to do this after pastoring three years or so & one of the deacons moved that the church do away with the annual call.
ReplyDeleteBro. Marlin, the church might be bound legally for a year's salary, but surely a preacher would ruin his reputation if he insisted on it.
ReplyDeleteBro. Snyde, I also would step out of the business meeting when it was time for the annual call. I would then come back in and ask if they wanted me to still moderate.
I am not aware of the origin of the annual call. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes back to an era when churches often had several preacher members. In John Taylor's History of Ten Baptist Churches (in the end of the 1700s and beginning of the 1800s) it can be seen on the Kentucky frontier. These churches often had several preacher members and one was called annually as pastor and moderator.
ReplyDeleteBro. Marlin, was the church of which you speak in East Texas? I never was aware of any within my knowledge that thought of this annual call as a yearly contract. In some cases the church or pastor would decide it was time for him to leave before the time of annual call, with no obligation for either party. The church I grew up in has practiced the annual call for about 135 years, dispensing with it in only about three cases.
Bro. Adrian, the pastor would not have to resign at the annual business meeting. If practiced consistently he is no more still the pastor until "recalled" than any other officer is still officer until re-elected.
There is no particular evil in the annual call and there is no particular holiness in the indefinite call. Both, used by people, can be used for bad or good. The annual call can help it be too easy for discontents to get rid of a good pastor, and the indefinite call can help it be too hard to get rid of a sorry pastor.