New Issue: Church
I've probably written before that this past summer, I've been involved in our church's Envisioning Committee/Team. According to our first communication, the commitment involved about 2 weekends over a 2-3 month period. Our goal was to crystalize our core beliefs & values, as well as a Mission Statement & Vision for our church. We also, with our coach's help, stated the first of our annual goals. I participated partly because I thought it would be a good thing for me spiritually, plus I think God led me in that direction as well. Best of all, the position was not a permanent one; it was just for this particular purpose.
Well, now our work has been presented to & accepted by the church. Initial goals have been set up to put our church on a growth track & now strategies need to be formulated & put in place, which include ministry evaluation (what to cut, continue, or start up). Two "Leadership Meetings" have been held to begin to do just that. All of church leadership & the folks on the Envisioning Team had been asked to attend.
The slow-moving nature of the meetings aside (and the fact that it's the same night as DWTS aside), I feel as though I'm being asked to do more than the original scope of what I was asked to do. Yes, it was probably important that I be there for the first meeting in order to help communicate our work to the church leadership. But now this strategizing is really the work of those in leadership & folks who partner with the leadership (like a Women's Ministry Team, for example).
First, I am currently not a church leader (nor have I ever desired to be one--I prefer to support & help). I know that if I were, I tend to have a dictatorial style of leadership that I also feel has no place in the church.
Second, as I reflect on how "paring back" on all the stuff in my life has positively affected my well-being (including my spiritual life), I know that it's God's will for me to "keep it simple" right now. Kind of like being Mary after being Martha for so long. It's not that I don't want to be involved at all--it's that I need to cut out the "doing" & focus on the "being" in my spiritual life.
I'm sure that once I get my spiritual "ducks" back in order, I will be naturally drawn to some sort of ministry. In the meantime, I do find myself starting to work on the church goals on an personal basis in my life, such as acts of kindness toward others & speaking up for Jesus when the opportunity presents itself.
I really don't feel that right now, I'm adding value to these meetings, and I know they are definitely not value-added for me. I'm thinking that I really need to communicate this to the coach & head deacon, because I feel as though I've been roped into something I never signed up for in the first place.
Well, now our work has been presented to & accepted by the church. Initial goals have been set up to put our church on a growth track & now strategies need to be formulated & put in place, which include ministry evaluation (what to cut, continue, or start up). Two "Leadership Meetings" have been held to begin to do just that. All of church leadership & the folks on the Envisioning Team had been asked to attend.
The slow-moving nature of the meetings aside (and the fact that it's the same night as DWTS aside), I feel as though I'm being asked to do more than the original scope of what I was asked to do. Yes, it was probably important that I be there for the first meeting in order to help communicate our work to the church leadership. But now this strategizing is really the work of those in leadership & folks who partner with the leadership (like a Women's Ministry Team, for example).
First, I am currently not a church leader (nor have I ever desired to be one--I prefer to support & help). I know that if I were, I tend to have a dictatorial style of leadership that I also feel has no place in the church.
Second, as I reflect on how "paring back" on all the stuff in my life has positively affected my well-being (including my spiritual life), I know that it's God's will for me to "keep it simple" right now. Kind of like being Mary after being Martha for so long. It's not that I don't want to be involved at all--it's that I need to cut out the "doing" & focus on the "being" in my spiritual life.
I'm sure that once I get my spiritual "ducks" back in order, I will be naturally drawn to some sort of ministry. In the meantime, I do find myself starting to work on the church goals on an personal basis in my life, such as acts of kindness toward others & speaking up for Jesus when the opportunity presents itself.
I really don't feel that right now, I'm adding value to these meetings, and I know they are definitely not value-added for me. I'm thinking that I really need to communicate this to the coach & head deacon, because I feel as though I've been roped into something I never signed up for in the first place.
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