Clergyman
Job overview
The term “Clergyman?”? is usually applied to a man? (and latterly a woman?) ?who is a Christian priest, although it is sometimes used to describe priests of other religions.
Clergymen should feel responsible for the spiritual well-being of their fellow human beings in general, but in practice will have specific duties in respect of the people in their parish or congregation.
What do people do in this job?
Clergymens' responsibilities can be roughly divided between congregational duties and individual care.
Congregational duties include:-?
- Preaching from the pulpit?
- Administering the sacraments?
- Performing marriage and funeral ceremonies
- Holding prayer meetings and Bible study groups
- Giving guidance to Sunday school and youth organisations
- Taking confirmation classes
- Undertaking missionary work?
- Conducting consistorial meetings?
Individual care work includes:-
- Pastoral visiting and calling on parishioners and in particular the aged and the sick
- Visiting old age homes, hospitals and children's homes
- Witnessing documents and writing testimonials for members of the congregation
- Giving moral support and guidance to groups of people or individuals?
What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
First of all clergymen should be firm believers, able to convince themselves and others that their faith is unshakeable.
They should have a sense of vocation, for theirs is not an ordinary career, it is a calling.
They should be able to address and convince gatherings large and small and at the same time be able to listen sympathetically to individuals and comfort them.
What qualifications are needed?
Apart from the characteristics and qualities outlined above, which should apply to all clergymen, formal qualifications can vary according to religious denomination.
In some denominations a rigorous preparation is prescribed, involving several years of university-level study followed by a year or two of specifically theological training.
For other denominations the requirements may be less exacting.