One part of my apparel every day to church is a security badge which primarily unlock the door to the Congregational Care offices, but can also be used for several other doors, including the outside doors.
One of the great things about this is that I can use the badge to get in to the outside doors, but I am still limited by the hours of the security system. I don’t have to worry about setting an alarm off because when the alarm is set, my badge won’t work. I can’t get in. Neither do I have access to every location in the church – either by badge or by key.
I am okay being a pastor that does not have access to every area of the church.
It helps me be clear that some things are the job of someone else and it also helps me keep boundaries.
What do you think? Should a pastor have access to all parts of the church building at any time?
Rev. Andrew Conard 
5 replies on “Keys to the Kingdom (or the church office)”
I think I should have access to all parts of the church at any time 🙂
No but you should definitely have access to the communion wine!
I initially thought that I would keep my church keys and personal set of keys completely separate. There was some sort of symbolism to me about boundaries there. I did that – for about a week when I had to make my second trip home to get my church keys because I needed to drop by the church on the spur of the moment. It has since occurred to me that I could just leave them in my car, but I’ve yet to take that step of separating them after two years.
It seems very appealing to have a security badge that limits the hours I could keep and/or places in the building where I have domain.
I assume there some people (a pastor? a lay staff member?) who do, in fact, have 24 hr. access in case of emergency? (flooding? frozen water pipe burst?) Good reminder about the function of the body of Christ – sometimes pastor’s think they’re except from a calling to be one part and think they can be both an ear, a knee, and an eye – all at the same time, without tiring!
Silly pastors…
I’m with you. I can’t imagine wanting access to the whole church buildings at all times. In a smaller church where I am the only pastor, I can see this being different, but I greatly appreciate limited access here.
deviantmonk – I think that exceptions could be made for the deviant monk 😉
Carlos – You never know when you will need to use one’s sacramental authority 🙂
Sarah – Thank you for sharing your story. I had not thought about the difference in the key chain. I appreciate the symbolism. There are people that have access 24 hours a day. Namely people who have access to turn off the alarm (which is not me) facilities and I think the executive directors have access 24 hours a day.
Dagney – Hear, hear.