Monday, November 16, 2009

A Kantor, a Pastor, and a High School Teacher Walk into a Bar...

Composer Dale Witte over at Composing My Thoughts cites a CNN article rating church musicians as one of the most stressful jobs.  Also on the list were pastors and high school teachers.  Check out his post here.

I don't know Dale personally, but I do know that he is both a high school teacher at Winnebago Lutheran Academy as well as a composer in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

I will share here what I posted in his comment section.  Do the math, it all adds up!

According to the article...

* 71% of ministers say their job is stressful.

* 67% of church musicians say their job is stressful.

* 65% of high school teachers say their job is stressful.

By correlation, would 132% of church musicians who are also high school teachers say their job is stressful? ;)

138% of church musicians who also serve a pastorate might say their job is stressful (this pastor is usually in a congregation with 2 or more pastors, but the he is a pastor none-the-less).

Then we have the old-school pastor who serves as sole pastor of a parish and teaches in a school at the same time. 136%.

Rare, but possible, a pastor could serve all three positions. Most definitely 203% of these people would say their job is stressful.

As you can see, math was one of my fortes back in the day! hehe


While we are at it, can anyone complete the joke that is started in the subject line?  I will give away ten of my personal Table Talk Radio points to the person who comes up with the best ending to the joke.  The contest ends at 11:59pm CT on Friday evening.  The winner will be announced by Monday morning.

BTW, I would like to know how CNN came up with the median pay of $40,800 per year for church musicians.  Apparently they did not consider those who are paid only a part-time salary or those who make no money at all but still serve this role.