by Susan Smith
- Embodying the meeting’s caring about his/her spiritual state
- Conveying the meeting’s desire for faithful exercise of his/her gift
- Affirming faithfulness in his/her ministry, specifically and in general
- Listening to and reflecting on his/her spiritual joys and trials
- Praying for and with the minister
- When meeting privately together
- During minister’s ministry
- At other times, as prompted by the Lord
- Encouragement of right spiritual state of minister
- Lifting up from discouragement or fear
- Guarding against pride and presumed self-sufficiency
- Directing focus to Jesus Christ
- Suggesting personal practices that could be helpful to present spiritual condition & work
- Scripture reading – when, what
- Prayer – when, how
- Other reading – specific suggestions based on intimate knowledge of minister and of relevant literature
- People to talk to – for minister’s help or the other person’s benefit
- Lifestyle changes – more sleep, fewer committees, edifying recreation, etc.
- Supporting minister in discernment of his/her own effectiveness and difficulties in exercise of his/her gift, and of ways to improve
- Suggesting new or changed approaches to his/her ministry that the minister does not think of – for a particular situation and in general
- Supporting both the minister’s understanding of the meeting’s traditionally held beliefs and his/her careful discernment about their Truthfulness
- Helping resolve harmful differences between minister and other Friend(s)
- And in everything, conveying Christ’s love.
written 3/28/2010