When the Rev. Alva Skiles isn't busy ministering to the needs of those who belong to First Baptist Church of Linwood, you'll find her taking care of pediatric patients at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
Like many clergy members who serve small congregations, Skiles has not one career, but two.
Smaller churches often lack the funds to pay for a full-time pastor, so it's increasingly common for them to hire a preacher to work part time. And when the pastor's not serving the congregation, she or he can pursue another career to help make financial ends meet.
In addition to being an ordained minister, Skiles is a registered nurse. She knows the stresses of holding two jobs.
"Sometimes it's not bad at all, and sometimes it can be quite a challenge," Skiles said. "A lot of times I'm able to trade days with somebody at LMH (in order to attend a church event), so that works out pretty well. But there are times you're scheduled to be in two or three places and you just have to choose."
At times she feels pulled between the demands of her two jobs.
"I suppose the hardest part would be wanting to develop more (ministry) programs or do more things, and yet you know you can't spend the time to be consistently there at church because you've got other commitments," she said.
But Skiles often finds that her careers go hand in hand.
"There are times when it's enriching to do both," she said. "Some careers wouldn't complement each other as much. But with health care and ministry, you're caring for people's needs in both situations."
Skiles is one of several clergy members serving small congregations in the Lawrence area who tend to two careers. It's a constant struggle, they say, to balance the needs of a congregation and the demands of a second job.
Family support
The Rev. William Dulin knows well the lifestyle of a two-career clergyman. He's led it for decades.
Dulin has served the congregation of Calvary Church of God in Christ, 646 Ala., since 1969 first as assistant pastor and then as senior pastor for the last 20 years.
Meanwhile, Dulin, 59, has worked in the lab at Astaris (formerly FMC), 440 N. Ninth St., since 1968. He analyzes effluent water that runs into the Kansas River, making sure it passes state specifications.
It's a busy life.
"Put it like this: There's no such thing as free time," Dulin said. "But I feel that this is what God has me doing at this time. If he sees fit, hopefully I can retire from Astaris someday and just be a minister.
"But you feel like you are doing what God gave you to do, so you go on and do it."
Dulin credits his family with helping to make his dual duties manageable.
"It's a challenge, and I'm thankful I have an understanding wife. She has been right beside me in the ministry," he said. "Without a family that supports you, it gets more difficult. And it's good to have some friends along the way."
Twin callings
The Rev. Paul Winn Jr. also has his hands full trying to meet competing demands for his time.
Winn, 49, has been in the ministry for 17 years. For the last five, he has pastored at Praise Temple Church of God in Christ, 315 E. Seventh St.
And since 1978, Winn has been a human relations specialist for the city, where he mediates discrimination disputes.
With two careers, there's rarely an opportunity for rest or reflection.
"There are a number of challenges," Winn said. "You have to be willing to know the spiritual priorities and your scheduling priorities. And you have to be willing to extend yourself to the limit and past that."
Though he's only compensated for serving Praise Temple on a part-time basis, the reality of ministering to the congregation is different.
"In my opinion, there are no part-time pastors. Your phone is ringing day and night," he said. "But it has been a real blessing to have beautiful people with our church who understand that I'm working two jobs."
The Rev. Verdell Taylor, pastor of St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church, 900 N.Y., can relate to Winn's experience.
"As a pastor, you're on the clock 24-7," he said. "You just have to expect to be available."
Taylor, 57, has been in the ministry for 25 years, serving St. Luke for the last five. He's also a full-time therapist with Christian Psychological Services, 500 Rockledge Road, seeing 15 to 20 clients there each week.
How does he manage to do it all?
"With a lot of prayer, a lot of effort," Taylor said. "I constantly feel like there's no down time. But I've done this for so long, it's kind of the story of my life always on the go."
Like many bivocational pastors, he looks forward to a day when his church could afford to hire him to work full time serving the congregation.
Until then, Taylor considers his careers as twin callings.
"I view both of them as ministries, and I'm enriched by both. They work so well together," he said. "It's an extension of what God has allowed me to do help people with a Christian focus."
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.