When does a minister's day ever end. This was my schedule last week:
Monday -- I took most of the day off but had my Art Journalling class from 7-9 p.m. with one hour of set-up and half an hour of clean-up. Total: 3.5 hours.
Tuesday -- 10-12, worked at home. 12 - went to meet someone, they didn't show up. Went to the office. I worked at planning etc. until 5 p.m.. Total: 7 hours.
Wednesday -- Met with Robert Palmai at 11 a.m. for one hour. I worked on many items relating to our fund raiser By the Numbers until 6 p.m. Dinner. Back at the church for 7 p.m. Study session on Process Theology with George Hermanson. Departed about 9:30 p.m. Total: 9.5 hours.
Thursday -- Sermon, 11-2; By the Numbers, 2-4. Total: 5 hours.
Friday - Set up for By the Numbers - 10 - 6 p.m. Total: 8 hours.
Saturday - Began at 9 a.m. with errands for the event until I arrived at the church about 11 a.m. I did final touches on the set-up. At 1 p.m. arranged the food. At 3 p.m. I printed the programs. I had a break from 4-5 and then I was at the church for the final set up. Event started at 7 p.m. I left the church about 10 p.m. Total: 12 hours.
Sunday - At the church for 9 a.m. Left the church about 1 p.m. Total: 4 hours.
Total for the week: 49 hours. Now, in the scheme of things this is not a huge amount of hours over my regular week. But....the hard part of this is that I worked EVERY day and will not have a complete day off until Saturday April 3.
My last two consecutive days off were March 12 & 13. My next complete day off will be April 3. That's 21 days with at least one work-related event per day. So, it's not really about the number of hours that a minister works. It's more about the relentless without a complete mind and body break from church-related duties.
This is an example of working too hard and one which I have to wrestle with. I'm thinking and praying about it. Nevertheless, it gives you some insight into the life of a minister
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Teaching Preaching
On Saturday, March 20, I spent the day with students from the Lay Worship Leaders program of Ottawa Presbytery. I was teaching them about preaching. Whenever I do this, I realize that this is one of my favourite things to do. I love teaching and I love preaching....so what's better than teaching about preaching?
At the table there were 12 eager students. One of them is a member of our church. Another student is a close friend. I've taught a lot of lay preachers and it just never gets tired. There is always something new to learn from students and there's always something new to teach. For my part, I think that preaching is THE most important thing that pastors do. The reason? The sermon exposes both their beliefs and their dreams for the future. Sermons are about the real stuff of life -- birth and death and everything in between.
Sermons talk about God in a contemporary way even though we use ancient scripture as a way to get into the present. Now, let's think for a moment. What if we didn't have scripture? We'd be able to talk about any of our own hobby horses. With scripture, we have a grounding that leads us into universal stories that relate to us even today. Scripture provides a template that helps us to be focused on the continual wrestling about our understanding of God.
I know that when I returned to the church after quite a long absence my favourite part of the worship service was the sermon. It was the part of the service that uniquely reflected the person standing there. I never in my wildest imagination thought that I'd be a preacher one day. Sometimes I still can't believe it!! But one thing's for certain, I love it.
At the table there were 12 eager students. One of them is a member of our church. Another student is a close friend. I've taught a lot of lay preachers and it just never gets tired. There is always something new to learn from students and there's always something new to teach. For my part, I think that preaching is THE most important thing that pastors do. The reason? The sermon exposes both their beliefs and their dreams for the future. Sermons are about the real stuff of life -- birth and death and everything in between.
Sermons talk about God in a contemporary way even though we use ancient scripture as a way to get into the present. Now, let's think for a moment. What if we didn't have scripture? We'd be able to talk about any of our own hobby horses. With scripture, we have a grounding that leads us into universal stories that relate to us even today. Scripture provides a template that helps us to be focused on the continual wrestling about our understanding of God.
I know that when I returned to the church after quite a long absence my favourite part of the worship service was the sermon. It was the part of the service that uniquely reflected the person standing there. I never in my wildest imagination thought that I'd be a preacher one day. Sometimes I still can't believe it!! But one thing's for certain, I love it.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Shane Claiborne is awesome
I heard Shane Claiborne speak tonight. He is a member of a community in Philadephia called "The Simple Way." He's written a couple of books and appeared in documentaries about his ministry. Basically, he calls Christian communities to be Christian, to live the rule of love in quite radical ways.
For example, he's part of a group that collectively pays medical costs. The group started with about 400 persons who collectively pay for each other's medical costs. Now the group is up to 20,000 and over the last 20 years they've spent $45,000,000. Simply, there's a monthly newsletter which describes the needs, and then the community of persons contributes what they can to help others.
Shane believes in a "relational tithe." That means that people help out their neighbours. What a radical concept!! Isn't that what Christians have been doing for millenia? Or have they? I see a lot of Christians today who hoard and it disturbs me. Very few Christians that I know seriously disturb their standard of living by giving to other people. Yet, Shane pushes people to realize that most of the time we have enough of what we need.
Also, he preaches One church, that works together for the good of all. Church shouldn't be about beliefs, but about what we do, the way we live. We should show we are Christians by our love.
This event was put on by the Open Table, which is organized by an ecumenical leadership. They host a meal and gathering once a month. There's was about 400 people for this event at Dominion Chalmers. That's pretty amazing for a Friday night. It really felt special -- it felt like the Spirit was there and enjoying it. I was moved and felt that I truly worshiped God. Inspiring!
For example, he's part of a group that collectively pays medical costs. The group started with about 400 persons who collectively pay for each other's medical costs. Now the group is up to 20,000 and over the last 20 years they've spent $45,000,000. Simply, there's a monthly newsletter which describes the needs, and then the community of persons contributes what they can to help others.
Shane believes in a "relational tithe." That means that people help out their neighbours. What a radical concept!! Isn't that what Christians have been doing for millenia? Or have they? I see a lot of Christians today who hoard and it disturbs me. Very few Christians that I know seriously disturb their standard of living by giving to other people. Yet, Shane pushes people to realize that most of the time we have enough of what we need.
Also, he preaches One church, that works together for the good of all. Church shouldn't be about beliefs, but about what we do, the way we live. We should show we are Christians by our love.
This event was put on by the Open Table, which is organized by an ecumenical leadership. They host a meal and gathering once a month. There's was about 400 people for this event at Dominion Chalmers. That's pretty amazing for a Friday night. It really felt special -- it felt like the Spirit was there and enjoying it. I was moved and felt that I truly worshiped God. Inspiring!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Annual Meeting Stuff
Annual meetings are a requirement of our polity. But they are so much more than that. They are a chance to tell our story and to set direction.
For me, annual meetings are a chance to tell the truth and to celebrate who we are. Our annual meeting was spirited and we're going to look at our budget and our hiring plans a bit more. A sober second thought is never remiss as long as we don't stall our ministries.
What astounds me in my current ministry is the quality of people that offer their gifts to the church. As frustrated as I get with too much talk, this is the kind of talk that actually has a good purpose. I hope we can keep going forward in the spirit of God's intentions.
For me, annual meetings are a chance to tell the truth and to celebrate who we are. Our annual meeting was spirited and we're going to look at our budget and our hiring plans a bit more. A sober second thought is never remiss as long as we don't stall our ministries.
What astounds me in my current ministry is the quality of people that offer their gifts to the church. As frustrated as I get with too much talk, this is the kind of talk that actually has a good purpose. I hope we can keep going forward in the spirit of God's intentions.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
After Sunday Service Blues
It's amazing how congregational members need to discuss church business with the minister after church. I've asked Council members not to do this. I have asked people to refrain from this on a one-to-one basis. I've written about it in the newsletter, and STILL it happens.
This is the issue. I've just spent an intense hour plus leading worship. Praying and preaching to God are a totally spiritual exercise. Not only is it physical work, it's mental and spiritual. Most worship leaders, immediately following Sunday morning, head to a couch somewhere for a well-deserved nap. This is one of the things that lay worship leaders always tell me: "I was so exhausted after leading worship!"
So, when congregation members want to discuss church business with me, it is not the best time. My faculties are dull and my memory is non-existent. I love to greet people and talk about pastoral issues or family issues or just about the gold medal hockey game, but not church business.
Sunday is a time of worship and even though I work on Sundays I always feel that Sundays are a day off from the worries and anxieties of life, that Sunday should be a day of celebration and thankfulness.
So as I was heading home from worship, I was definitely singing the after Sunday service blues. I wish people would take a sabbath from church business and use other ways of connecting with me if there is work to be done. I'll have to keep getting this message across somehow.
This is the issue. I've just spent an intense hour plus leading worship. Praying and preaching to God are a totally spiritual exercise. Not only is it physical work, it's mental and spiritual. Most worship leaders, immediately following Sunday morning, head to a couch somewhere for a well-deserved nap. This is one of the things that lay worship leaders always tell me: "I was so exhausted after leading worship!"
So, when congregation members want to discuss church business with me, it is not the best time. My faculties are dull and my memory is non-existent. I love to greet people and talk about pastoral issues or family issues or just about the gold medal hockey game, but not church business.
Sunday is a time of worship and even though I work on Sundays I always feel that Sundays are a day off from the worries and anxieties of life, that Sunday should be a day of celebration and thankfulness.
So as I was heading home from worship, I was definitely singing the after Sunday service blues. I wish people would take a sabbath from church business and use other ways of connecting with me if there is work to be done. I'll have to keep getting this message across somehow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)