Just watched a movie that examines the role of a pastor. "Noelle" 2007, 90 minutes. Directed by David Wall, Kerry Wall and Sean Patrick Brennan, I think.
It is about a priest in a small struggling Catholic parish on Cape Cod and the priest/church official sent to close his parish down. And a woman, of course. (This is a movie, after all.)
The movie works with stereotypes, but it connected with my heart. It paints a picture of the role of a pastor that I appreciate. The pastor as a friend of his people, as a member of the church community and the larger community, as believer in God more than in the church system. Since I want to measure my own effectiveness using numbers--attendance, baptisms, money--or drama--as in marvelously transformed lives, miracles or visions or spectacular divine leading. And since my ministry meets my expectations in only one area in this long list, the area with the least "spiritual appearance" to it, the movie's affirmation of ministry as affectionate fraternization with the people of the church and the community was encouraging.
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