FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank.
   For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog.
   For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide.

How to Address a Pastor?
      I would like to send an African Methodist Episcopal Zion Pastor a letter requesting that my organization visit his church on a selected Sunday to close a weekend celebration of our anniversary.  How should the greeting read?  (for example,  Greetings Rev---- in the name of the Father)  is this appropriate of should I just say Dear Rev._________?
             -- Maryann Lee

Dear Ms. Lee:
        I give the best forms for protestant christian clergy on  http://www.formsofaddress.info/Pastor.html
        Address him as "The Reverend (full name)" and "Pastor (surname)" as noted there.
        I have never encountered a member of the protestant clergy who did not like that form, unless they also hold a doctorate and prefer "Dr. (surname)"
        While many clergy use "Rev." like "Mr./Mrs./Ms" ... but not all do, and some object to shortening "The Reverend" down to simply "Rev.".   So I suggest you not use "Rev. (Name)" unless you know it is his personal preference.
               -- Robert Hickey

Addressing Clergy as Pastor (Name) on a Mailing Label?
      I am preparing a mailing list for regular correspondence in the United States. I have a few protestant pastors to whom I will be sending periodic newsletters. All of them go by Pastor (first name). I noticed on your website concerning how to address clergy that you told everyone to use The Reverend when addressing envelopes. Since none of my pastor friends call themselves Reverend, I was wondering if it was permissible to address them as "Pastor (David Jones)" or "Pastor and Mrs. (David Jones)" instead of "Rev. and Mrs. (David Jones)".
              -- Jennifer (Desiring not to offend)

Dear Jennifer:
    You write .... "none of my pastor friends call themselves The Reverend"
    It makes sense that none of them call themselves The Reverend.
    The Reverend ... The Honorable ... and ... His Excellency ... are all courtesy titles used by others when addressing the person  ... are not used by the person themselves.
    For example, if you write to your U.S. Senator he/she would be The Honorable (full name) ... but when they sign their name ... they don't use The Honorable as part of their name.
    I always suggest the most formal form of address ... which is the form to which I find the fewest people object.  The most formal way to address an envelope to most a protestant cleric is:
        The Reverend (First Name) (Surname)
               Name of Chruch
                      Address
    A letter's salutation is the same form of their name you would use in conversation:
        Dear Pastor (Surname)
            or if they have a doctorate:
        Dr. (Surname)
            and of course the Episcopalians use:
        Father/Mother (Surname)

You write .... All of them go by "Pastor (first name)"
    If you know them as Pastor (first name) ... then you are on a first name basis with them.
    I am not (so far) ... so I'd call them Pastor (last name) until they asked me to call them Pastor (first name)
    My mother's pastor likes to be addressed as Pastor Jim ... and I call him that so in conversation.
    But I'd still address mail to him as The Reverend James Ensor.

You write .... "Rev. and Mrs. (David Jones)"
    It is not unusual to encounter Rev. used as an honorific like Mr., Mrs., Ms. or Dr. ... such as in ... Rev. (Last Name)  But it's a form I'd use only if I knew it is their personal preference. Many pastors don't like it ... and complain to me in e-mails about it all the time!
    The formal way to write the pastor and spouse who uses the same last name as the pastor .... would be to keep the person with the title's name as a unit and not mix it with their spouse's name:
        The Reverend David Jones
            and Mrs. Jones
                Address
    -- Robert Hickey

How to Address Retired Protestant Clergy?

     I’ve used your site several times recently and it’s extremely helpful.  Thanks for providing such a comprehensive reference. My current questions:
     1. How do you address protestant clergy?  For example, do you still use “Rev.” or “The Rev. Dr.”  to address a retired minister?
     2. Does a person’s personal preferences matter in forms of address?  For example, the minister mentioned above writes but uses no forms of address with his signature.  When you respond, do you use his professional honorific or a standard like “Mr.”?
         -- Higgins Clinton

Dear Mr. Clinton,

    Clergy continue to use "The Reverend" for ever.  It never expires.
    I would always do the envelope formally:
        The Reverend James Wilson
                        ... that form of his name is for the post office.
    Also there's a rule that in writing one does not give oneself an honorific .... so the minister not signing his name on a letter as "Pastor James Wilson" make sense. I don't sign my name "Mr. Robert Hickey" ... but that is how others would address me.
    Is that what you mean?
    I would formally address him in a salutation as something like "Dear Dr. Wilson"  .... or if I was on a first name basis "Dear Jim"
    -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Female Pastor & Her Husband?
      How do I address a sympathy card to our female pastor and her husband on the death of her husband’s son from a previous marriage?
    -- nskcomstock

Dear nskcomstock,
    Most formally on an envelope your Pastor is listed first since she is The Reverend (Full Name) and he is a Mr. (Full Name). People with courtesy titles rank higher than people without them.
     And because she has a title ... she gets her whole name as a unit ... not mixed in with her spouse's name. So avoid anything resembling The Reverend Allyson and Mr. Wilson Smith... which is really bad.  
     And assuming they use the same last name ... the most formal would be:
          The Reverend Allyson Smith
               and Mr. Wilson Smith
     In the salutation you could use the form you think she prefers in conversation ....
          Dear Pastor and Mr. Smith,
          Dear Dr. and Mr. Smith,
     Or if you are on a first name basis use:
          Dear Allyson and Wilson,
               -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Pastor with a Doctorate?
       I need to mail something to my pastor, Rev. Calvin Cole who has received his doctorate  - How do I address the envelope or even introducing him?
        -- Marsha Talltree

Dear Ms. Talltree:
     You don't mention the denomination, but in many denominations (Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran...) they use The Reverend as a courtesy title (other courtesy titles include The Honorable and His/Her Excellency), not as an honorific like Dr. or Pastor or Mr.  In the US it's our tradition not to use compound honorifics, so I would avoid The Reverend Dr. Calvin Cole.
    In those denominations the envelope is addressed with the courtesy title:
              The Reverend Calvin Cole
                    e.g., The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
    and in a salutation (and conversation) he's addressed with an honorific:
              Dr. Cole
                   e.g., Dr. King
    NOTE: Sometimes clergy DO use Rev. as an honorific, liking to be addressed as Rev. Calvin Cole ... On Monday of this week I visited an African-American Baptist church that uses Rev. (Name) for ordained clergy who preach but are not the pastor, and Minister (Name) for those who preach but are not ordained!  I'd never seen that before, but they were very consistent within their community.
    My mother's Presbyterian pastor likes to be addressed as Rev. Bob, which is not precisely traditional, but of course I address him as Rev. Bob.
    But that said, I'd use the first suggestions, unless I knew he had another preference.
                     -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Pastor Who is Also a Chaplain?
     Regarding my pastor, who is also a military chaplain:
     I must write a sentence in our summer worship schedule for the church newsletter regarding the pastor's “Godspeed Celebration” we are holding before his deployment to Afghanistan. Which of these would be considered correct? Are any of them simply not correct at all?
    The Rev. (full name), chaplain of the ..., Indiana Army National Guard.
    The Rev. Lieut. Col. (full name), chaplain of the ....
    Lieut. Col. (full name), chaplain of the .... and pastor of ....
Is there another form that would be more preferred?
                -- Lynn Harriman, Indianapolis

Dear Ms. Harriman,
    I think you are saying he is the pastor of your church ... AND he is also a chaplain?
    There is a tradition in American forms of address that we only give a person one title at time.
    ** As a chaplain he'd use the form I have on Chaplain Armed Services
    ** As you pastor he'd use the form I have on Pastor
    I say "American" because the British tradition is to give a person EVERYTHING they would ever get ... so you see names like The Right Honourable Reverend Lieutenant Colonel Lord William Ramsey, MP, VC ....  But in the US we address a person with the one "honorific" or "courtesy title" that's appropriate to the situation .... who they are to us at the moment.
    So I your first option is the most formally correct for you at his church:
           The Reverend (full name), (degrees held)
If it's a sentence you can include more information ..
            The Reverend (full name) is a Chaplain of the Indiana Army National Guard holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
    And when he's on active duty with the National Guard they will use his chaplain form of address and note is also the pastor of your church.
            -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Pastor and Her Military Husband?
     My question has to do with addressing envelopes.  Our Pastor, Alyson Smith, of the Presbyterian Denomination, is married to a retired Lieutenant Commander, USN, Richard.  He is to be awarded his PhD soon.  Regardless of the degree, I have not been able to find out how one is to address an invitation, card, or letter to the two of them, together.
         --- Bobbi Sue Minton

Dear Ms. Minton:
    I have an entire chapter on joint forms of address in my book for just this type of situation. I am guessing you are addressing him socially, so ... socially his name is written:
        Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith
    As a member of the clergy, her name is written:
        The Reverend Alyson Smith

RANK WITH A POST-NOMINAL ABBREVIATION
    Regarding his PhD. In the US academic post nominals are never used with a rank. So he can be Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith (or Commander Smith in conversation) or Richard Smith, PhD (or Dr. Smith in conversation if he wants to be address as "Dr.") but never Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith PhD.

USE OF DOCTOR
    Usually holders of PhD's don't use Dr. (name) unless they work in academia or research. E.g., the holder of a doctorate in French who teaches would use Dr. (name) .... The holder of a PhD in finance who works at a bank wouldn't. But ultimately it's his option how he is addressed.

WHOSE NAME IS FIRST?
    An active duty or retired military person has higher precedence than a civilian so is listed first. So in most circumstances the joint form would be:
        Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith
            and The Reverend Alyson Smith
    BUT if she is the invited guest ... and he is invited as her escort, then as the guest her name would appear first:
        The Reverend Alyson Smith
            and Lieutenant Commander Richard Smith
     I have spelled out "Lieutenant Commander" every time above, to avoid the whole issue of how to abbreviate his rank. I cover that in my book on pages 94-98 (service-specific abbreviations) if you need that information.
                  -- Robert Hickey

Back to directory of titles  /  See who is using Honor & Respect

For forms of address for invitations, place cards, name badges, introductions, conversation, and all other formal uses, see Honor & Respect: the Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address.

Copyright © 2012 Robert Hickey.     All Rights Reserved.
Photo: Marc Goodman.