When I first stepped into the role of a local church pastor, I believed I was ready. I had the education, the sense of call, and the fire to serve. But reality hit hard one quiet Tuesday afternoon—sermon half-written, voicemail piling up, and no one around who truly understood what I faced. That day, I realized how much I needed someone to listen.
My seminary didn’t prepare me for the loneliness that can sneak into ministry. Our congregations see us on Sundays but don’t see the in-between: the pastoral visits, the strained budget meetings, and the quiet moments of doubt. I didn’t need advice or critique. I needed someone to hear me out. I needed a connection.
Scripture reminds us: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, NRSVUE). Ministry was never meant to be a solo act! We need each other—not just in theory, but in practice.
The Manual on Ministry affirms this in its theological grounding. It names covenant as central to our identity in the United Church of Christ: “The work of ministry and of the Church begins and ends in community... Covenant—the commitment of God to God’s people, of the people to God, of the people to one another—is foundational to UCC identity and is at the heart of our governance.” That means we don’t just share ministry—we share responsibility for one another. Communication isn’t optional. It’s covenantal.
So, I’m encouraging you to make the call. Reach out to a colleague. We’ve all grown used to the usual responses when we check in with each other: “I’m fine.” “I’m okay.” Most of the time, we don’t push past those lines. We accept them, maybe because we’ve said them ourselves. But behind those polite replies, there’s often more fatigue, frustration, grief, or the ache of being stretched thin. We owe it to each other and ourselves to go a little deeper. So, ask them how they’re really doing, not for show. Not to fix anything. to remind them—and yourself—that we don’t walk this road alone. Even Jesus didn’t.
I want to thank those who showed up for me along the way. Rev. Brady Abel, Rev. Rock Fremont, Rev. Dr. George Ault, Rev. Dr. Vernon Meyer, and Rev. Paul Whitlock—your calls weren’t just kind gestures. They were lifelines. You didn’t wait for me to ask. You simply reached out. And that made all the difference. To every clergyperson who’s done the same: thank you. Keep making those calls. Keep showing up. Keep listening. That’s how we live out the covenant. That’s how we stay strong.
With gratitude and hope,
Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott