The pastor proclaims eternal truths to people who would rather hear the latest baseball score. He teaches, though he must solicit his own classes. He heals, though without pills or knife. He prays for people and hopes they pray for him. He leads worship and tries to make God real to those present. He sows God's Word and cultivates God's vineyard so that we may have deep roots in Christ and bear abundant fruits of the Spirit. He is a manager, administrator, correspondent, keeper of official records. He is sometimes a lawyer, often a social worker, frequently a one-man emergency squad. He is the favorite target of panhandlers and a decorative piece at public functions. He is a writer, speech maker, something of an editor, a bit of a scholar, philosopher, entertainer, salesman, and arbitrator. He is the theologian in residence and interpreter of the church at large. He seeks the lost, visits the sick, counsels the troubled. He comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. He tries to get people ready for baptism, confirmation, ministry, marriage, parenthood, old age, and finally death. He tries to keep people focused on eternity as they rush through time. He also tries to stay sweet when chided for either doing or not doing his duty, and often discovers that doing his duty can be just as offensive as not doing it. He plans programs and recruits and trains workers when he can get them. He is determined to multiply ministry and not monopolize it. He wants people to experience the joy of being givers of Christian service as well as being recipients. Then he spends considerable time in keeping people out of each other's hair. Between all this he prepares a sermon and preaches it on Sunday co those who don't happen to have any other engagement. Then on Monday he smiles when some jovial chap roars,

"What a job—one day a week!"