*UPDATE 12/4/24: Please note I am not available for Guest Preaching or pastoral coverage until February 2025*

Guest Preaching & Pulpit Supply & Pastoral Coverage

Guest Preaching & Pulpit Supply

It’s a tremendous privilege to preach to a variety of congregations! Guest Preaching and Pulpit Supply can range from delivering a sermon to full worship creation and leadership to cover a settled/regular pastor’s absence. I’m happy to preach on specific scriptures or topics based on an ongoing theme or liturgical season, or remain with the Revised Common Lectionary options. Pulpit Supply is typically for a single or a few Sundays (contiguous or otherwise). Worship leadership needs beyond that scope invite consideration of a Bridge Pastor (see below).

Availability & Logistics: Please contact me for my current availability. I do have a minimum honorarium, which is also impacted by travel distance. Occasionally, I’m available for last-minute, urgent coverage (sick pastor!) within the lesser of a 60 mile/1 hour travel radius of Northampton, MA.

Guest Preaching Event: Want to invite me to preach and do some kind of discernment workshop? Maybe fly me out to somewhere? That’s awesome! Let’s talk about it.

Pastoral Coverage (Sabbatical, Leave, Pastoral Gaps)

Is your pastor taking a sabbatical or other extended leave? Is your church in that funky time between one pastor’s departure and another’s arrival? Then you might be well-served by a Bridge Pastor! Typically, a Bridge Pastor fulfills basic pastoral duties for a minimum of a month, up to 6 months. The work is limited in scope, and includes worship leadership, urgent pastoral care, and (possibly) meetings and staff support directly related to these responsibilities. Since the responsibilities extend beyond the pulpit, compensation is greater than multiplying the usual guest/pulpit supply preacher honorarium times the number of worship services. While it means a greater expense, calling a Bridge Pastor provides valuable consistency through a period of uncertainty.

Important Note! In order to remain in right covenantal relationships, I will only consider Interim or Designated Term positions that have been vetted and approved by appropriate denominational leadership, such as Area Conference Ministers in the UCC. Thank you for your understanding.

Need Someone Else? While I’m happy to suggest colleagues, your best bet is to consult with your denominational staff and leadership.

Life Rites: Baptisms & Weddings & Funerals

While it is an honor to be invited to guide folks through some of the most intimate and holy moments of their lives, I am only available to offer my services on a limited basis.

I will make every effort to accommodate requests from folks with whom I have an established relationship, and/or in circumstances where your request brings us closer to making God’s just Kin-dom real here on earth.

Examples: Name Blessing/Affirmation of Baptism; Weddings for LGBTQ+ folx who face barriers in other faith traditions; Complex memorial services for those who have died by violence, suicide, or overdose, and/or LGBTQ+ folx who were estranged from or not fully respected by their family of origin (IE correct gender, chosen name, acknowledgement of partners).

What’s an “Unsettled Pastor?!?”

When a pastor is hired (“called”) to serve a church longterm, they are considered to be the “settled pastor” of that congregation. Since my passion and skills align with doing short term and transitional work, bopping around from place-to-place, I am never really in a “settled” position. Engaging in this kind of work has provided the opportunity to experience a wide variety of contexts, styles, systems, and cultures. Each connection — however brief — brings the gift of a lesson: exposure to wider realities, a broader perspective on the trends, challenges, and blessings at play in our faith communities.

Being “unsettled” gives me the chance to share my skills more widely, connecting with a greater number of wonderful people doing wonderful ministry. More importantly, it is my hope (and goal) to use those connections to connect wonderful people doing wonderful ministry with other wonderful people doing wonderful ministry! Too often, our churches and clergy feel isolated — facing challenges alone, their “problems” unique to them, which leads to feelings of inadequacy and shame. I strive to share the truth that none of us is alone in these struggles, and that we can adapt and transform when we do it together.

And, to be completely honest, this is also just me being a little goofy. I like wordplay.