pastorlessadj.
/ˈpɑːstələs/, /ˈpastələs/, U.S. /ˈpæstərləs/ Having no pastor.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > pastor > [adjective] > lacking
pastorlessa1711
a1711 T. Ken Hymnotheo i, in Wks. (1721) III. 30 Pastorless the Flock remain'd.
1886 Chicago Advance 21 Oct. 665 Every pastorless church and chargeless pastor.
1914 E. A. Steiner From Alien to Citizen xxiii. 239 For a time I supplied the pulpits of various pastorless churches.
1960 C. E. Olmstead Hist. Relig. U.S. vi. 141 He was persuaded to conduct informal religious services among the pastorless people.
2001 Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch (Nexis) 9 Dec. (Area section) b13 He was well-known..as an interim pastor with an ability to lead pastorless flocks through transition.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.a1711