Written by Dr. Steve Whitaker, Head of School

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. In the past, we have celebrated our Central Florida pastors in a variety of ways, from lunch events to personal visits to show how grateful we are. In the year 2020, as with most things, the ways in which we celebrate and honor our pastors have to look a little different than before.

At the First Academy, we are so grateful for our strong partnership with First Baptist of Orlando and the leadership of Dr. David Uth. I am proud to call him my friend and partner in ministry. Earlier this week, we kicked-off Pastor Appreciation Month at TFA at our virtual Parent Association meeting. We were joined by special guests Heath Bryant and Chris Bacon. Heath is the new Kids Pastor at First Baptist Orlando and Chris is the Student Pastor. We are so blessed to partner in ministry with FBO and these two amazing pastors. We also introduced how we plan to celebrate the over 140 churches and pastors represented by our TFA family and community.

We would like to honor our pastors with a Cookie Blessing this month. Send us your church & pastor’s information and we will send a cookie basket during the month of October to celebrate Pastor Appreciation month and thank your pastor! Any Central Florida pastor/church is eligible. Deadline to submit and send your pastor a cookie basket is Friday, October 16. You can submit your information for this special gift HERE. I so look forward to seeing all of the churches and pastors celebrated with this special blessing!

Below are some additional pandemic-proof ways that your family can honor your pastor/s this month, and throughout the year!

1. Host a party on wheels! Gather some members of your congregation and plan a car parade for your pastor.
2. Pray for your pastor Our pastors need to be covered in prayer too, so be sure to include them in your daily prayers.
3. Send a note Thank you notes are always appreciated.
4. Send a meal If you are able, call your favorite restaurant or take-out spot and send your pastor a meal. This will be a blessing for your pastor and their family!
5. Do some outdoor chores Does your pastor need some help around the yard? Make a day of it and gather a small group to take care of that pesky yardwork for your pastor.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating our FBO pastors, as well as all of our Central Florida pastors, during the month of October!