Pastor Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2023

Written by: Frank Hackett (CPRW)
Updated: April 20, 2023

Downloadable Examples
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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the average annual salary for pastors and religious workers was $40,070 per year in 2021. In addition to building a strong resume, you’ll want to craft a compelling cover letter to secure a position with your desired congregation or institution. The cover letter offers you an opportunity to provide organizations with deeper insights into your theological focus, public service efforts, and approach to enriching the spiritual life of the communities you serve. Using both documents to complement one another will significantly enhance the strength of your job application.

Using our Pastor Cover Letter Building Guide will help you to:

  • •   Provide deeper insights into your career achievements as a community leader and spiritual guide and draw attention to your positive impact on the congregations you serve
  • •   Highlight how your background aligns with the mission statement and culture of the religious organization you’re applying to
  • •   Showcase tangible examples of your community outreach efforts to spread awareness and provide positive spiritual guidance to those in need
  • •   Demonstrate your knowledge of theology and ability to aid congregations in understanding Biblical teachings

Pastor Cover Letters

Entry-level
Pastor_Entry-level.pdf

Example #1 Entry-level

Mid-career
Pastor_Mid-career.pdf

Example #2 Mid-career

Senior-level
Pastor_Senior-level.pdf

Example #3 Senior-level

Pastor Text-Only Cover Letters

Years of Experience
  • Entry-level Entry-level
  • Mid-career Mid-career
  • Senior-level Senior-level

Donald Hopkins
Pastor | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345

January 1, 2022

Matthew Johnson
Senior Pastor
Falmouth Lutheran Church
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Johnson,

As a recently ordained pastor, I’ve devoted myself to community service to provide spiritual guidance and spread the teachings of Christ to those most in need. As a ministry volunteer with the Boston Teen Challenge, I delivered ministry services to teenagers and adults suffering from behavioral and substance abuse issues. I believe my passion for religious outreach and public service will allow me to thrive in the pastor role with Falmouth Lutheran Church.

Your congregation’s mission statement to provide both spiritual guidance and essential services to the poorest members of the community is what draws me to apply for this position. I believe that I can be a valuable asset to your organization based on my early career accomplishments:

  • Delivered pastoral counseling to congregation members and taught community Bible classes to facilitate the spiritual and personal growth of students
  • Coordinated with counselors, pastors, and volunteers to plan events and community service initiatives, including food drives, Toys for Tots, and fundraising efforts for funeral expenses
  • Communicated with the local population and supported outreach initiatives to invite members of the community to join the congregation

I hope to speak with you further regarding how my community outreach experience can help further grow your congregation and support its continued growth. You may contact me via phone or email for any additional questions you may have about my background. I appreciate your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Donald Hopkins

Raheem Thompson
Pastor | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Carpenter Street, Philadelphia PA, 12345

January 1, 2022

Hector Santos
Senior Pastor
St. Mark’s Baptist Church
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]’schurch.com

Dear Mr. Santos,

As a pastor with over five years of experience, I’ve devoted countless hours to creating emotional and impactful sermons to enrich the spiritual life of my parishioners. By drawing tangible parallels between biblical passages and current events, I’ve sought to provide comfort and guidance to congregation members during times of extreme hardship. I believe my unique background as a theologian will allow me to provide valuable spiritual teachings to your congregation in the pastor position.

St. Mark’s Baptist Church has a strong reputation for providing spiritual services and theology courses to community members. I am confident that my experience as a pastor and academic will allow me to provide valuable insights into Biblical teachings for your congregation based on my career achievements:

  • Delivered pastoral care and spiritual instruction to congregation members and taught weekly Bible courses to expand understanding of scripture using current events and historical parallels
  • Wrote and delivered sermons during religious services to provide spiritual guidance and support to the religious community, including virtual services during Covid-19
  • Built and developed relationships with community leaders and local nonprofit organizations to execute charity events and religious outreach initiatives

I would like to schedule an interview to discuss how my background as a theologian and community leader can aid the growth of your congregation. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Raheem Thompson

Danielle Tucker
Pastor | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY, 12345

January 1, 2022

Lori Taylor
Senior Pastor
St. Luke’s Methodist Church
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]’smethodist.com

Dear Ms. Taylor,

During my six years as a senior pastor at St. Margaret’s, I managed a diverse congregation with over 400 members and delivered pastoral counseling to individuals and families. I have devoted myself to serving as a spiritual guide and aiding at-risk congregation members in obtaining spiritual, medical, and mental health resources. I believe that my background as a community leader would be a valuable asset to your organization in the senior pastor role.

St. Luke’s reputation for forward thinking and understanding draws me to apply for this position.  As a pastor, I believe that our role as spiritual leaders is to aid all members of the community, regardless of culture, belief, or religious nomination. I believe that I can help continue to foster your inclusive and progressive congregation based on my previous achievements:

  • Served as senior pastor for a congregation with over 400 members, conducted weekly religious services, selected scripture readings, and delivered sermons to broaden understanding of biblical stories and build communities built on tolerance and inclusion
  • Delivered pastoral care to the elderly population, performed funeral services, and provided continued spiritual and emotional support to family members
  • Oversaw marriage ceremonies, delivered pastoral counseling to couples, performed baptisms, and provided education to congregation members on religious rites

I hope to speak with you further regarding how my experience as a senior pastor can aid your congregation in continuing to foster positive community relationships. You may contact me via phone or email at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Danielle Tucker

Pastor Cover Letter Tips

Now that you’ve seen some examples of strong pastor cover letters, we’ll provide additional expert tips to help you frame your career achievements and professional background in a compelling manner on your document. The cover letter is a valuable complement to the resume during the application process because it allows you to speak about your experience in a more personal manner. As you create your content, take the time to research the values of the organization you’re applying to and how your background as a pastor aligns with their culture. Below, you’ll find three expert tips to aid you as your craft your cover letter:

1. Highlight Your Preaching Style

Spreading the teachings of the Bible is a core aspect of any pastor position, and organizations will want to learn more about your approach to religious teaching and sermons. The cover letter is an opportunity for you to highlight key aspects of your preaching style and your approach for enriching the spiritual lives of those around you. In the example below, the candidate focuses on their ability to draw tangible parallels between Biblical passages and current world events in order to aid their congregation in understanding how the Gospel can offer hope and comfort during times of tragedy and strife:

Example

As a pastor with over five years of experience, I’ve devoted countless hours to creating emotional and impactful sermons to enrich the spiritual life of my parishioners. By drawing tangible parallels between biblical passages and current events, I’ve sought to provide comfort and guidance to congregation members during times of extreme hardship. I believe my unique background as a theologian will allow me to provide valuable spiritual teachings to your congregation in the pastor position.

2. Showcase Your Devotion to Community Service

A permeating theme throughout the teachings of Christ is love for thy neighbor, and congregations will want to see examples of your experience furthering this core tenant of Christianity by supporting public service and community outreach efforts. In the example below, the job seeker is a recently ordained minister with limited experience. However, they create a powerful introductory paragraph centered on their experience providing emotional and spiritual support to individuals suffering from substance abuse issues, which is sure to grab the attention of prospective organizations:

Example

As a recently ordained pastor, I’ve devoted myself to community service to provide spiritual guidance and spread the teachings of Christ to those most in need. As a ministry volunteer with the Boston Teen Challenge, I delivered ministry services to teenagers and adults suffering from behavioral and substance abuse issues. I believe my passion for religious outreach and public service will allow me to thrive in the pastor role with Falmouth Lutheran Church.

3. Highlight Your Leadership Capabilities

Leadership skills are essential for success as a pastor. Congregations will want to see that you have a background in leading and aiding the communities you serve, especially during turbulent times and tragedies. In the example below, the candidate makes a point to showcase how their beliefs and values as a pastor are aligned with the organization they’re applying to by describing their approach to fostering religious communities built on tolerance and inclusion:

St. Luke’s reputation for forward thinking and understanding draws me to apply for this position. As a pastor, I believe that our role as spiritual leaders is to aid all members of the community, regardless of culture, belief, or religious nomination. I believe that I can help continue to foster the growth of your inclusive congregation based on my previous achievements:

Other Resume & Cover Letter Examples