Answer:

elder

Answer	Crossword Clue
ELDER	Senior
ELDER	Church official
ELDER	Kind of statesman

ELDER	Church VIP
ELDER	Church leader
ELDER	Of superior rank
ELDER	Official in the church
ELDER	Like one who came out first
ELDER	Someone to respect
ELDER	Tribal leader
ELDER	Bush, senior?

ELDER	Like some statesmen
ELDER	Doyen
ELDER	Presbyter
ELDER	Respectable person?
ELDER	Church officer
ELDER	Respected tribe member
ELDER	Tribal leader, often
ELDER	Venerated tribe member

ELDER	... statesman
ELDER	Hostel opening?
ELDER	Influential member
ELDER	Venerable one
ELDER	Respected member
ELDER	Respected one
ELDER	Esteemed member
ELDER	Like venerated statesmen

ELDER	One to respect
ELDER	Like a big brother
ELDER	Tree with berries
ELDER	Like Frank Hardy, vis- -vis Joe
ELDER	Revered figure
ELDER	Like senior statesmen
ELDER	Like one's big brother
ELDER	Respected figure

ELDER	Pliny the ... (Roman scholar)
ELDER	One of the Plinys
ELDER	One to be respected
ELDER	Influential tribesperson
ELDER	Adjective for some statesmen