| This Journey

So today, GA and I both read in the newsletter that we are starting a new ministry at the new nearby nursing home.

Please note, that when PP talked about this in the staff meeting two weeks ago he said the following:

I don’t know if we should partner with this home or not. I don’t know too much about them.
I don’t want to committ to being someplace to lead worship every Sunday afternoon.
I don’t want to be the one in charge of preaching or leading worship.
We should talk with a few people and see if there are folks who would like to lead this ministry.

Fast forward to today. I read:

We are starting a new partnership with “new nursing home down the road”
PP will do most of the preaching, worship leading and bringing Holy Communion
Contact PP or GA, shared ministries coordinator, if you’d like to sign up.

So
I’m talking with GA this afternoon and find out that PP has not talked with her once since the staff meeting about this project.

Maybe we’re suffering from group amensia.
Maybe we both heard his statements in the staff meeting the same wrong way
or,
maybe he has no idea

how this kind of communication is not collaborative ministry
that it is exactly opposite of what he told us in the staff meeting
how disrespectful, humiliating and insulting it is to be informed of work assignments in a public communications piece.
how giving work assignments is far less effective in building a ministry team than consensus decision-making
how frustrating it is to have to learn what we are doing, not by attending and participating in a week 2 hour staff meeting, but by reading the freaking newsletter

Holy God, creator of the universe,
I understand that this is not the right place for me. You can stop hitting me over the head with the anvil. I’m going already! And thanks and praise to you for your clear communication.
Amen.

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

Summer Solstice 2007

After the show 2007

Perfect Summer Day 2006