Sometimes frail, they can be bedazzled by the worldly chaos around them. I am not saying they are helpless, because a lucky few fared well in the ministry, some even amassing great fortunes. Yes, some have saved thousands of dollars from salaries that seem inadequate at first glance. But most do not end their careers with fortunes, and many have the same kinds of issues that plague us, including stress.

So, here are some tips for church councils to help their pastor through this next year of stress:

First, make sure your pastor is getting some exercise. If he or she sits around the office too much, the church council might want to suggest membership in the local health club. Barring that, the council could cancel snow-removal service and tell the pastor that volunteers will take care of it. When the volunteers don't show up, the parson will have to crank up his arms to clear the parking lot.

If snow isn't a problem in the area, the church council could cancel the lawn-maintenance service and watch the pastor try to cut the grass with what I envision being a little, pathetic push mower.

Of course, years ago, many church councils solved the exercise problem by simply creating parsonages. When the pastor moves in, the place is likely to be in horrendous shape, and with a little elbow grease, the cleric can keep the holy house from slipping into the dump. New wallboard and tile in the shower, new windows and frames in the family room, new steps leading to the garage and a multitude of other tasks likely will need mending, so the lucky pastors in those situations should get plenty of exercise.

I knew a pastor who moved into a parsonage during autumn that had a fireplace but no chimney. The hole for the chimney was blocked by thick plastic that crinkled and snapped during the winter cold. So after the winter passed, the parson took some lessons in building chimneys, bought some bricks and finished off the fireplace to the delight of the church council. The dear pastor added about $10,000 of value to the home and, in the eyes of the church leaders, it cost them nothing.

The second issue to worry about is the paycheck. Older pastors of my acquaintance will tell you to be grateful if the paycheck always arrives in the mail. These older soldiers remember the Depression era or the months just after World War II when a couple of church leaders would occasionally appear on the porch on payday and say they could not afford to pay God's helper that week. Instead, the leaders would ask if the family could accept a couple of fat chickens and perhaps some canned corn and peas as partial payment.

Today the check usually arrives on time. But the problem still remains that, in many cases, it barely covers the basic elements of life. As we've always said, "No clergy person is going to get rich." But wouldn't it be nice if a few got comfortable? Actually, in some larger congregations that is becoming the case, but for the rank-and-file preacher, existence is from week-to-week financially. Some can hardly wait for retirement when their ample pensions, after 40 to 60 years of service, kick in for the duration.

But what if the weekly paycheck or pension isn't enough? If I experience financial challenges, I could make more money in ways that would not be appropriate for a preacher to pursue, at least in some people's eyes. Part-time jobs for preachers simply don't exist.

And, of course, the ultimate issue - one that affects your life as a person of faith even more directly - is a preacher's intellectual life. How is the congregation helping the preacher expand mentally so that Sunday-morning sermons are not all thrown away?

We've just scratched the surface of the issues and problems that plague our ministers. As fall's chill reminds me that God's laborers have needs, I hope others throughout the year consider the financial, emotional and spiritual well-being of these folks, too.

Clark D. Morphew