Pastor With a Doctorate
—- Envelope or address block on letter or email:
—- —- The Reverend (Full Name)
—- —- (Church)
—- —- (Address) how to address a protestant minister
—- Salutation: how to address a protestant minister
—- —- Dear Dr. (Surname):
Pastor Without a Doctorate
—- Envelope or address block on letter or email:
—- —- The Reverend (Full Name)
—- —- (Church)
—- —- (Address)
—- Salutation:
—- —- Dear Pastor (Surname): how to address a protestant minister
Here are the basics:
—- #1) Use of THE REVEREND: The Reverend is a courtesy title, and courtesy titles describe the person. The Reverend always precedes a full name. NOTE: Using a less formal form 0f address might be right sometimes: using this formal form is right just about all the time.
—- #2) Use of REVEREND: Sometimes the Reverend is informally shortened to Reverend (or Rev.) and used as an honorific like Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. before the name. While not the most formal form, it is the preference of some pastors and their congregations. If you know an individual pastor prefers simply Reverend (Name) (abbreviated in writing to Rev. (Name) – use it: it is always courteous to follow the preference of the individual.
—- #3) MINISTER as an honoriific : Minister is sometimes used to describe any member of clergy: “He is the minister of a church in Maryland.”
—- But some congregations use minister as an honorific – Minister (Surname) – for a member of the congregation who is clergy but is not the Pastor. For this latter member of clergy addressed as Minister (Surname), modify the form for Pastor above.
—- #4) PASTOR as an honoriific: ‘Pastor’ as an honorific – as in Pastor (Surname) – is widely accepted among Protestant clergy. Among smaller, independent congreations other forms may be preferred: check for local preference. Episcopal and Catholic priests use Father (Surname) orally and in a salutation.
For forms of address for other clergy follow the appropriate link in the list at right.
– Robert Hickey how to address a protestant minister