So, when is it ministry?

Yesterday all was fine. I'd been called. But in honesty now it's not.

And the good girl part of me knows that it shouldn't be all about the pay. But the hard headed mortgage paying part of me wants to scream.

Last week's pondering about "is what i'm called to ministry" or is it only ministry if you do it full time have crashed into the SACS grade 3 award and the reality that "if this is ministry if you don't take the package" then i can't afford to be called. How can this be? Yet even the synod agrees, we who "help" the minister are to be considered SACS 3 but of course without the loadings that make it possible for my tafe students to get employed at this level while they finish their studies.

so do we think that you can't do ministry as a lay person? or is it really that you can as long as you married and have someone else earning a higher than averge wage so that they can pay the mortgage? or even the rent? I know i need to get rational about this - and advocate - but why do i have to.... why aren't recognised?

or am i not called because a called person would somehow find time to have another almost full time job to pay their way to serve the church?