Dr Crowder wrote the following in his weekly letter to future Living Waters Clergy on 29 October 2026
Clergy Appreciation Month: You Are Valued
Beloved Colleagues,
October is Clergy Appreciation Month, a meaningful opportunity to pause and express gratitude for the clergy who faithfully serve God and God’s people.
To our pastors, ministers, chaplains, and spiritual leaders: You are valued. Your ministry matters. Your presence makes a difference.
We recognize that ministry is both a calling and a commitment. It requires faith, compassion, patience, courage, and a willingness to walk alongside people through life’s greatest joys and deepest sorrows. You preach, teach, pray, counsel, visit the sick, comfort grieving families, celebrate milestones, advocate for justice, and help communities discover hope in difficult seasons.
Often, the work of ministry happens beyond the pulpit and outside the spotlight. It happens in hospital rooms, at kitchen tables, through late-night phone calls, in moments of crisis, and in the quiet prayers offered for those entrusted to your care.
As I reflect on Clergy Appreciation Month, I do so not only as a Regional Minister/Pastor, but as a fellow clergy person who has spent more than 30 years answering God’s call to ministry, serving congregations, and walking alongside God’s people through life’s greatest joys, deepest sorrows, and most challenging seasons.
My years in ministry have taught me that while our individual assignments may differ, the heart of our calling remains the same: to serve faithfully, love deeply, proclaim hope, and accompany people through the sacred and sometimes difficult moments of their lives.
I know that ministry is both a privilege and a profound responsibility. I know what it means to prepare to preach while carrying the weight of personal concerns, to offer encouragement when you need encouragement yourself, and to remain present for others even when the demands of ministry are exhausting. I have experienced the sacred joy of witnessing lives transformed, the deep fulfillment of serving a congregation, and the challenges that come with leading God’s people through seasons of change and uncertainty.
For 15 years, I had the privilege of serving as pastor of Park Manor Christian Church on Chicago’s South Side. Ministry was never simply about preaching a sermon on Sunday morning. It was about building relationships, showing up in moments of crisis, celebrating the milestones of families, burying loved ones, praying through uncertainty, and helping a congregation believe that God was still at work, even when circumstances suggested otherwise.
Those years reinforced something I believe every clergy person eventually learns: we can spend so much time caring for others that we sometimes overlook the care we need ourselves. We stand beside grieving families while carrying our own grief. We offer words of hope while navigating unanswered questions in our own lives. We encourage others to keep going, even when we sometimes need someone to encourage us to do the same.
My transition into regional ministry has deepened my appreciation for clergy serving in every setting. Behind every sermon is a person. Behind every pastoral visit is a person. Behind every difficult decision, congregational challenge, and ministry commitment is a person trying to remain faithful to God’s call.
Whether you serve a large congregation or a small church, lead a hospital or a college chapel, minister in a community facing hardship, or serve God’s people in ways that may never be publicly recognized, please know that your calling has dignity, your labor has meaning, and your presence makes a difference.
During Clergy Appreciation Month, I want my fellow clergy to know: I see you, I honor your commitment, and I give thanks for the many ways you continue to serve God and God’s people.
Clergy appreciation must be more than a card, a kind word, or a special Sunday. It must be a commitment to the well-being of those who serve. We must build ministry structures where clergy can be honest about their struggles, take meaningful rest without guilt, receive fair compensation, establish healthy boundaries, and seek support without fear of being perceived as weak or less faithful.
We spend so much of our lives pouring into others. We, too, deserve communities where we can be strengthened, encouraged, and reminded of the grace that first called us into ministry.
Ministry Requires Care, Too
Clergy are human beings who need rest, encouragement, friendship, and spiritual renewal. The people who pour into others must also have opportunities to be poured into. Your well-being matters just as much as the well-being of those you serve.
To every clergy person who has continued to show up, even when ministry has been difficult; who has preached through personal struggles; who has offered hope while navigating uncertainty; and who has remained faithful when the fruits of your labor were not immediately visible, please hear this: Your faithfulness has not gone unnoticed, and your service is deeply appreciated.
As we celebrate Clergy Appreciation Month, may we move beyond words of gratitude and become communities that demonstrate appreciation through prayer, encouragement, fair compensation, healthy boundaries, meaningful rest, and genuine care for our spiritual leaders.
A Reminder: Renew Your Clergy Standing
As we celebrate and appreciate your ministry, it is also time to renew your standing as clergy in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Standing Renewal for 2027 runs from October 15 through November 30, 2026. Please complete your renewal within this period to ensure that your information is current and your standing process is addressed in a timely manner. Letters confirming standing and clergy cards will be mailed no later than mid-January 2027.
Thank you for your attention to this important responsibility and for your continued commitment to ministry within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Thank You for Answering the Call
To our clergy, thank you for answering the call. Thank you for serving with compassion. Thank you for leading with courage. And thank you for reminding us, through your ministry, that God is still at work in the world.
You are more than the work you do. You are more than the sermons you preach. You are beloved children of God, called to serve and worthy of care. May you be renewed in spirit, strengthened in your calling, and reminded that you do not walk this journey alone.
With gratitude and appreciation, we celebrate you and not simply for what you do, but for who you are.
You are valued. You are appreciated. You matter.
Amen. Asé.
Rev. Dr. William E. Crowder, Jr.
