December 31: CSI pastors!

Last night we were given the invaluable opportunity to sit and be in conversation with several Indian pastors from the Church of South India. CSI is a denomination formed from 7 denominations, including British Methodists but not United Methodists. We had ten pastors in he conversation, and the bishop came to greet us. The group of pastors and group of students were divided in half, and each group would sit in dialogue. That is 14 people in each circle. When my group of 9 students switched to the second set of 5 pastors, one of the pastors immediately started to speak with me. He was the only pastor who was retired, and I am the youngest looking of the students (though several of us are in our mid-twenties). I suspect me age is why he chose to speak to me. When we sat in the large group, he immediately introduced himself to me in particular. We were eventually given the chance to pair off and speak with the pastors. He quickly turned to me and we began to talk.

Joseph was his name and he related to me some fascinating things. He originally went to school to be a teacher, but his mentor wanted him to continue his studies and become a pastor so much hat he was given a scholarship. He then was sent by the diocese to study for a Masters of Secular Theology at Yale for a year in the 60s. After that year, he returned to India and was immediately appointed to a church. For the next 30 years, he was in ministry in a variety of churches and eventually as the Vice-chair, the pastor who is an assistant to the bishop. He says it is only by the will of God that he could have been given all those opportunities and become a pastor.

When I asked what his favorite part of ministry was, he lit up. He loves the history of the diocese. The success of the diocese goes back to one missionary who established more than 400 churches and more than 100 schools in less than 15 years. Can you imagine even doing that in a lifetime? Because of this man, Christians are educated and Christians are strong in the diocese. Rev. Joseph told me such amazing stories at missions and evangelism, and faith.

It is often said in the US that a pastor never truly retires. They officially retire but they can never actually leave the ministry. While Rev. Joseph is no longer the pastor of a church, he assists a pastor by doing all that he is asked. This can include visitation, funerals, and so much more. Isn’t it amazing how even with such difference in culture, a pastor is a pastor. They are there by the grace of God and they never stop doing God’s work.