Appreciate Your Pastor

I know that we have just passed Pastor Appreciation Month, but I wanted to log in my view from the other (pastor's) side.  Granted, I'm 72 and not exactly in prime physical condition, but after I preach twice on Sunday I'm wrung out.  Even after the morning service I can hardly wait to hit my recliner and nap for awhile before gearing up for the next service.  All of this to say I don't know how these guys do it who preach 3-6 times on a weekend.  I'm sure that most lay people have no clue as to the emotional and physical energy expended by most preachers in the process of preaching.  It becomes even more laborious when there is little or no response.  It is like preaching with a 1,000 lb. boulder on your back.
Couple with this the well-meaning person who "un-loads" his/her problem on the pastor as he is on the way to the pulpit (that is what office hours and telephones are for)
Let me hasten to say that my congregation is very conscious of the fact that my total focus as service draws near is the message.  They know to give me announcements in writing beforehand.  I'm blessed.  But I have had experiences in the past when the path from the study to the pulpit was like wending your way through a mine field.  I know of one pastor who was always surrounded by his deacons as he moved from study to pulpit so that they could "protect" him from the congregants who just had to see the pastor before he preached.
All of this to say, please understand the huge responsibility that your pastor has for "rightly dividing the Word of truth."  Recognize that he may forget the announcement you stopped him in the aisle and verbally requested that he make.  It isn't that he doesn't pay attention, it is just that his mind is on other, very important, things.

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