My interim time here in L church 1 hour commute each way will be over the beginning of October!
They have called a part-time pastor! Yay! They are so ready to move on and into something new.
I am ready to move on. In some ways, I have rested some on my laurels. Yes, there were the challenges of the Lenten Round Robins, but I guess I'm ready for some new challenges. But that is also what causes anxiety in me. New challenges. What will I be stepping into in the next interim? One never really knows for sure. I have been in the lion's den before. Not easy. But it worked out. I couldn't do as much as I would've like in that situation, but I got them through the worst of it and felt I was a non-anxious presence - which may have belied, what I really felt inside at times! Just had to stay centered and grounded in Christ.
I know this next interim will not last 4 years! I pray it pays a bit more, maybe a little towards pension or medical would be nice. I have been working for 6 years without any pension or medical. A little would go a long way! That's the breaks when working part-time.
I also am thinking that should this next interim work out (meeting in Sept), it would be in the town I am living in! I have never served a church in the town in which I resided!!! I was always the one commuting, while LH didn't have that far to commute.
Which leads into the fact that after 13 years of living in our present community, I don't know all the side streets or even where all the nursing homes are. I just take the main drags to go to the bank, grocery store, library, dry cleaners, gas station, stores, etc. We really don't know anybody in town, except for our next door neighbors. Well, LH may know a parishioner or two from his last called
pastorate, but that is it!
Guess I'll have to learn my way around town! Finally, after 13 years!
Also, this is a more high church L church. I am a low life - opps - low church Presbyterian! I will
be challenged. I don't chant and they will have to put up with being called, 'beloved of God'. Hope it
doesn't hurt their L sensibilities!
I will be stretched no doubt.
I also realized while driving through town the other day, that every church in town (and there are a myriad of churches) I will be the only female, aside from the Salvation Army couple. WOW! It
never crossed my mind before - all the pastors in town are male. (CMA, DISCIPLES OF CHRIST,
AG, NAZARENE, UCC, CATHOLIC, NON-DENOMINATIONAL- 4 at least , METHODIST, EPSICOPAL, and at least two BAPTIST churches). It will be interesting to see how this works out if there is a ministerial or when working with one or another churches for community events or church observances. Hmmmm....been there before!
Just have trust God and walk in faith as I have done all these years. In the meanwhile, I pray that God will make me able to serve in ways that bring health and goodness to the congregation, that God's Spirit inspire me and grant me wisdom, that God and I will keep our good humor, come what
may!
Now all I have to do is exit graciously while honoring this church's grief and mine after 4 years!
Praying about that as well.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Olympic Disappointment & Inspiration
Beyond the disappointment of the NBC broadcasting which has never equaled ABC, the whole Ryan Lochte thing is an embarrassment and disappointment.
Really, Ryan, you embarrassed your teammates, the whole US Olympic delegation and most majorly - your country. Making up some cockamamie story is sophomoric. How old are you? Well into adulthood! You got drunk, did something totally stupid and dumb, and then made up an awful
story that looked badly upon the Brazil and its people. (Granted they deal with enough crime, and bad press as it is).
Why couldn't you just be honest and take full responsibility for your drunken behavior and actions?
Then you flee back to the States, leaving your teammates in Brazil to face the music. You hire an
attorney to write an apology, dye your hair back to its natural color to look like the innocent boy next door, and then you don't have the courage, moral fiber, or decency to admit you LIED. No, you had to call it an "over-exaggeration." How stupid do you think we are? You LIED. No over exaggeration with that! Just say you lied. Man up and admit it. Then get on with the rest of your life, having learned some valuable lessons.
I hope you don't represent the US again in any international competitions. You are a major embarrassment. I don't feel sorry that you are losing your sponsors. That's what happens when you LIE and do dumb things. Take responsibility for yourself, your actions and your behavior.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest. There is altogether too much "spin" from media, attorneys and politicians. Just.be.honest. Don't deny. Don't lie. It's pretty simple.
On the other hand, I was most impressed with Abbey D'Agost (?) can't remember the spelling, so sorry. She was the runner who tripped over a fallen competitor and then helped her competitor up so they could finish the race together. Now there's a true Olympian. She should be on a box of Wheaties! Sponsors should be knocking on her door. No, she didn't win the race or medal. But she finished the race showing compassion and sportsmanship that so many don't show. She is epitome
of true sportsmanship and the epitome of Olympic Spirit. I hope to see more of her and hope that
sponsors will come knocking at her door. She inspires. She encourages. She is an example to all young, aspiring athletes. She is an inspiration and example to all current athletes. Abbey will
probably be overlooked by sponsors since she didn't win (and oh, it's all about winning isn't it - well look at the embarrassing Lochte!). But they should snap her up! Because she is one we all can
look up, and say that is the best in human spirit. This is what sports and the Olympics is all about -
yes, one wants to win, but sometimes its about much more - personal bests, and being an upstanding
human being.
The Summer Olympics are over for another 4 years. I pray that the next group of athletes already
preparing and practicing will take these examples to heart and lift up the world by their actions
instead of embarrassing nations by them.
Really, Ryan, you embarrassed your teammates, the whole US Olympic delegation and most majorly - your country. Making up some cockamamie story is sophomoric. How old are you? Well into adulthood! You got drunk, did something totally stupid and dumb, and then made up an awful
story that looked badly upon the Brazil and its people. (Granted they deal with enough crime, and bad press as it is).
Why couldn't you just be honest and take full responsibility for your drunken behavior and actions?
Then you flee back to the States, leaving your teammates in Brazil to face the music. You hire an
attorney to write an apology, dye your hair back to its natural color to look like the innocent boy next door, and then you don't have the courage, moral fiber, or decency to admit you LIED. No, you had to call it an "over-exaggeration." How stupid do you think we are? You LIED. No over exaggeration with that! Just say you lied. Man up and admit it. Then get on with the rest of your life, having learned some valuable lessons.
I hope you don't represent the US again in any international competitions. You are a major embarrassment. I don't feel sorry that you are losing your sponsors. That's what happens when you LIE and do dumb things. Take responsibility for yourself, your actions and your behavior.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest. There is altogether too much "spin" from media, attorneys and politicians. Just.be.honest. Don't deny. Don't lie. It's pretty simple.
On the other hand, I was most impressed with Abbey D'Agost (?) can't remember the spelling, so sorry. She was the runner who tripped over a fallen competitor and then helped her competitor up so they could finish the race together. Now there's a true Olympian. She should be on a box of Wheaties! Sponsors should be knocking on her door. No, she didn't win the race or medal. But she finished the race showing compassion and sportsmanship that so many don't show. She is epitome
of true sportsmanship and the epitome of Olympic Spirit. I hope to see more of her and hope that
sponsors will come knocking at her door. She inspires. She encourages. She is an example to all young, aspiring athletes. She is an inspiration and example to all current athletes. Abbey will
probably be overlooked by sponsors since she didn't win (and oh, it's all about winning isn't it - well look at the embarrassing Lochte!). But they should snap her up! Because she is one we all can
look up, and say that is the best in human spirit. This is what sports and the Olympics is all about -
yes, one wants to win, but sometimes its about much more - personal bests, and being an upstanding
human being.
The Summer Olympics are over for another 4 years. I pray that the next group of athletes already
preparing and practicing will take these examples to heart and lift up the world by their actions
instead of embarrassing nations by them.
Wednesday, August 03, 2016
AUGUST
Ahh, August. Hard to believe it is already here. August means that summer is dwindling down and families are preparing for the start of a new school year.
My time at L Church is dwindling down. The pastoral candidate will preach on the 21st with a congregational vote to follow. I will be leaving sometime in September.
There might be a new L church to serve closer to home, which would in a way, be nice and I won't have to contend with the hour commute one way, and put fewer miles on my van which has enough miles for a van twice its age! Fortunately they are mostly highway miles.
There will be some grief as after nearly four years I have come to love and know these folks. But it is time - time for them to move forward into something new, time for me to move on also into something new.
I will miss the L cluster and the neat things they try to do together - Lenten Round Robin with all our churches, some joint services - Epiphany, Ascension, etc. and joint confirmation classes which
I have been a part of and enjoyed even though it meant long Sundays. It was good to get to know these wonderful L pastors and all they do and how they serve.
I will miss the cookies of the baker here at this church. They are the best iced sugar cookies I have ever had.
I will miss the choir here - small but talented.
I will miss seeing the Reservoir I cross on my way here and Lake Milton.
I won't miss some of the traffic through Akron - especially now until I leave. Carmeggedon has
just begun in Akron - with bridges being rebuilt and lanes and ramps closed. It will be a veritable
nightmare.
I will miss the homebound folks that I visit regularly and bring communion.
Sigh. It is part of my journey to move on and along. Even our Lord had no place to rest his head, and was ever on the move. This has just been a more prolonged rest along the way.
I am grateful to the Lord that I have been able to serve here and for these 4 years of employment - even if it was without medical offset or pension. LH and I have managed. Grateful that LH has
insurance and he gets pension, even if the medical costs us as much as our monthly mortgage!
Being a "tweener" or interim is always wondering what comes next and trusting mightily in
God that there will be another congregation to serve and to prepare for new pastoral leadership. It
also means trusting God that my gifts and what the congregation needs will work together well.
Moving on the next church is always stepping into the unknown. I try not to be too anxious and
spend much time in prayer in preparation.
August will most likely go rather quickly and slowly I will begin to move things out and
celebrate with L church that their interim journey is ending and a new beginning is before them -
full of hope and possibility.
I pray for a good ending here and new life that awaits them and even me!
My time at L Church is dwindling down. The pastoral candidate will preach on the 21st with a congregational vote to follow. I will be leaving sometime in September.
There might be a new L church to serve closer to home, which would in a way, be nice and I won't have to contend with the hour commute one way, and put fewer miles on my van which has enough miles for a van twice its age! Fortunately they are mostly highway miles.
There will be some grief as after nearly four years I have come to love and know these folks. But it is time - time for them to move forward into something new, time for me to move on also into something new.
I will miss the L cluster and the neat things they try to do together - Lenten Round Robin with all our churches, some joint services - Epiphany, Ascension, etc. and joint confirmation classes which
I have been a part of and enjoyed even though it meant long Sundays. It was good to get to know these wonderful L pastors and all they do and how they serve.
I will miss the cookies of the baker here at this church. They are the best iced sugar cookies I have ever had.
I will miss the choir here - small but talented.
I will miss seeing the Reservoir I cross on my way here and Lake Milton.
I won't miss some of the traffic through Akron - especially now until I leave. Carmeggedon has
just begun in Akron - with bridges being rebuilt and lanes and ramps closed. It will be a veritable
nightmare.
I will miss the homebound folks that I visit regularly and bring communion.
Sigh. It is part of my journey to move on and along. Even our Lord had no place to rest his head, and was ever on the move. This has just been a more prolonged rest along the way.
I am grateful to the Lord that I have been able to serve here and for these 4 years of employment - even if it was without medical offset or pension. LH and I have managed. Grateful that LH has
insurance and he gets pension, even if the medical costs us as much as our monthly mortgage!
Being a "tweener" or interim is always wondering what comes next and trusting mightily in
God that there will be another congregation to serve and to prepare for new pastoral leadership. It
also means trusting God that my gifts and what the congregation needs will work together well.
Moving on the next church is always stepping into the unknown. I try not to be too anxious and
spend much time in prayer in preparation.
August will most likely go rather quickly and slowly I will begin to move things out and
celebrate with L church that their interim journey is ending and a new beginning is before them -
full of hope and possibility.
I pray for a good ending here and new life that awaits them and even me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)