I don’t take enough time to reflect. Heck, last week there were several days I didn’t take enough time to eat! Here, for the world, is my reflection I prepared for the clergy and religious leaders caucus.
************************

Meetings and appointments during September
GC

• worship leadership Oct. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30
• Worship, Arts & Music committee 10/11
• staff meetings Oct. 4, 18, 25
• choir rehearsals Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 26, 27
• Confirmation activities Oct. 27, 30
• Bible study leadership Oct. 12, 26

Other worship leadership

• SOTV Fest & German Dinner 10/22

Deaconess Lunch Oct 6
Counseling appt Oct 10
ISAIAH

• clergy and religious leaders caucus 10/13
• Lenten worship resources meeting Oct. 19
• Thanksgiving service planning Oct. 19, 28

1:1 meetings
Completed:
GC-

• Collen W

Isaiah-

• Sue E.
• Keith O.
• John K.

Other -

• Larry N.

Need to Schedule

• Pastor Stephan (GA)
• Nancy J. (GA)
• Shaun H. (GA)
• Gary A (GA)
• Gennifer K
• Melanie O
• Mel N
• Sharon G
• Jeannette B
• Brian S

Agitations
Best: Thanksgiving celebration team – to pay the guest musicians the minimum going honorarium.
Worst: Paul Ostrow – to stand with the living wage coalition to work toward a regional policy. Got a verbal agreement but it felt weak and easily weaseled out of.

Evaluation of progress on October goals

• Continue 1:1s with GC and agitation table members (4 GC + 1 ISAIAH/Other per week) – poor
• Planning celebration worship for Living Wage Initiative – good
• Identify time stealers during the week (suspect bulletin and “helping” in the office) – moving into my office has helped. A lot of it is conversations with people who drop by the church office. When I am sitting there, I was always pulled into the conversations. Being down the hall in a separate room means that I am able to close the door for uninterrupted time.
• Youth Choir and Band have started and will need some intense energy to get off the ground – They led worship on 10/26. Did well. On track to start leading Sunday morning liturgy in January. Choir attendance still weak and may not be able to participate in Advent Lessons and Carols (12/11).
• Get people from GC to attend the living wage celebration service. – hopeful. Invitations to the staff fell rather flat.
• Research and apply for CPE – received information for congregation based program through Health East.

Reflection on public life
SE observed a parallel between my description of my work at GC and my marriage. Namely, that I seem to be taking on more than my share of the work of the relationship. This was a disturbing revelation. After reflecting on it for a few days, I realize that I feel that the way that the senior pastor is dealing with the congregation’s healing is making me feel set-up. I do not trust that the congregation, as a whole, truly desires me to lead them. I am hesitating on asking for 1:1s because of this. Regardless of how successful I will be in overcoming these issues, it still may be that this will end up being an unofficial interim position, helping the congregation bridge from their old patterns and pain to a new model that will not really bloom until the next person.

Two things that are most important to my public life, practicing and 1:1s are the two things that don’t get done regularly. SE and I talked about why that is.

Four more people from GA are at week-long this week. I want to have 1:1s with them when they return. For myself, I need to find out rather quickly whether it will work for Pastor S to work as my pastor. KO is exploring whether he could serve as my mentor.

I’m feeling very comfortable with my relationships within ISAIAH. However, I am disappointed in myself that I have not gotten involved in an issue yet. The closest I’ve come is planning worship for the Living Wage Initiative celebration but I never actually made it to any of the actions. I have been trying to figure out why that is. The excuse I have for now is lack of time. This is, of course, b.s., but I’m not sure yet what the real reason is.

Goals for November

• Practice everyday.
• Schedule and hold 1:1s
• Lead music (with Mary, Tom and Brett) at Living Wage Celebration
• Register for Deaconess formation event

— — —
A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…

Five years 2009
Actual Blogoversary 2008
3 Years Ago 2007
CPE group debacle 2006
Go Vote! 2006
Ha! I knew it! 2005
This guy is much calmer than I was on 11/3 2004
A beginning… 2004

November 7th, 2005 | Category: ISAIAH, work | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL