pastor

Pluralpastors

Formspastors, pastoring, pastored

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A minister or priest who leads a Christian congregation in worship and spiritual care.

   The pastor delivered a sermon on forgiveness Sunday morning.

   Several pastors from neighboring churches attended the conference.

   Similarminister, priest, shepherd, elder

   Note

   Protestant churches use this as the ordinary title for the minister in charge of a congregation, who preaches, administers the sacraments and looks after members. The synonym shepherd keeps the old farm image in plain view, and elder and pastor-teacher sit close by. Which of these titles a church prefers tends to follow its own tradition rather than any difference in the work itself.

2. 2
   nounUScountable

   The chief priest who serves and leads a parish, holding responsibility for its members and ministries.

   The pastor assigned to the parish oversees its finances and ministries.

   Each parish in the diocese has a pastor appointed by the bishop.

   Similarpriest, shepherd

   Note

   American Catholic usage gives the word a precise job: the pastor is the priest who holds authority over a parish and runs it. An assisting priest who serves under that authority is a parochial vicar, not a pastor. Outside the United States, parish priest is the more familiar way to say the same thing, so choose your term with your audience in mind.

3. 3
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To lead a congregation as its minister, providing worship, teaching, and spiritual care.

   After seminary, he chose to pastor a rural congregation.

   She pastors a growing church on the city's east side.

   Similarlead, shepherd, serve

   Note

   Built directly on the noun for a minister, this verb works with or without an object: a minister pastors a congregation, or simply pastors in a small town. It names holding an office over time rather than doing one thing, so it sits easily with church, congregation or parish and with spans of years. Shaila Dewan, writing in 2009, uses it of a family who pastored churches in Georgia and Texas.

4. 4
   nouncountable

   A starling with rosy-pink plumage and a glossy black head, also called the rosy starling.

   A flock of pastors descended on the orchard to feed on insects.

   The pastor often follows swarms of locusts across open plains.

   Note

   The bird's name echoes its scientific name, Pastor roseus, a pink-bodied starling with a glossy black head that moves in large flocks after insect swarms. Its appetite gave it a good reputation: Country Life in 1944 reported agricultural officers judging it beneficial for the vast numbers of locusts it destroys. In general writing, rosy starling is clearer, since most readers will hear a clergyman first.

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