It can be difficult to buy presents for pastors and priests. What do they need? What do they want? What do they not already have ten thousand versions of? What would they appreciate? What would make them feel appreciated? The questions just keep coming …
Yet we do want to show our love and gratitude to our spiritual leaders. We do want to show them that we care. But, how do we do that? What do we give our pastor or priest for a gift?
One idea is to get them something that isn’t really for them. One family bought a sheep for a family in India in honor of their pastor. And he loved it. Another family donated a rocking chair to the church in his honor. The new mothers in the church loved it!
Another idea is to commit your prayer to your pastor. What better gift is there than the gift of prayer? Your pastor or priest will be encouraged and comforted by the idea that you have committed to pray for him. You might want to accompany this promise with a physical gift that symbolizes your commitment, such as this Jesus praying hands sculpture.
Sometimes we do want to deliver an actual wrapped gift into our leader’s hardworking hands. You might consider this comfort cross made of olive wood. It is a popular, affordable, and meaningful gift option. For a more traditional version of this gift, check out this olive wood cross.
If a physical gift isn’t important to you, you might want to consider gifting your pastor or priest with financial support. Sometimes a loving gift of money or gift cards can make a world of difference in a pastor’s life. You could also ask others members of your congregation to contribute.
You could also read your priest’s mind. What does he like to do? What would he spend money on? A hunting license? A golf outing? A concert? Movie tickets? A Netflix subscription? An overnight at a bed and breakfast? You know your pastor. What would be a special treat that you could help him afford?
If you are the crafty type, consider creating a gratitude scrapbook. You might ask members of your parish to contribute photos or other keepsakes. Then assemble them into a scrapbook with a “thank you for your service” theme. Your priest will love it.