Everything Must Change

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Finally dragged myself out of bed this AM and was greeted by this horoscope from Yahoo: "You're feeling philosophical today, which means it'll be way too easy to get lost in your own thoughts. Think too much about big issues right now, and you will get overwhelmed by the sheer scope of things. So focus on keeping things simple and straightforward today. Otherwise, you will never get out of bed. Your mind had a tendency to over think, which can be paralyzing. You need to stay in touch with the reality of what needs to be done..."

WHEW!!!

Played hooky from my own congregation yesterday, in order to hear Brian McLaren speak at Immanuel Baptist Church. I'd been looking forward this for almost a year, but was a little disappointed, in part simply because I had just finished reading his most recent book earlier that week, and yesterday's presentation was pretty much just more of the same only not as good, but mostly because of logistical issues at the church itself. Sound system wasn't very good, for example, and created a bit of an echo which made it difficult for me to understand what he was saying. Likewise, when I arrived at the church (at the front door of the sanctuary, no less!) there was no one there to greet me or offer me directions; took me 15 or 20 minutes in the wheelchair just to get myself up the steps (six of them, in three groups of two) and into the building, then back into the parish hall where I was finally able to find someone who could point me to the chapel (more steps, this time down) where Brian was speaking, and already about half-way through his presentation. It was a very vivid contrast to the way we handle newcomer hospitality at First Parish,

Didn't really feel much inspired by the worship service either, where (it being the first Sunday of the month) they were serving communion. I had to leave early anyway because by that point my bladder was about to burst (I know Too Much Information), so I left as discretely as one can wheeling up a wheelchair ramp, and then afterwards stashed myself in the parlor until lunchtime. Did meet a few interesting folk there (even though...or perhaps because...I was eating in the alternative, "handicapped accessible" lunch space), including a retired Baptist Minister from Boston who informed me that Immanuel Baptist has 15 retired and/or community-based ministers as members of the congregation, including John Carmen (a retired professor from Harvard Divinity School). I imagine they must either be a real resource or a regular handful for the called and settled minister there! What do you call a collection of clergy like that? I can remember when there weren't that many ordained UU ministers in the entire state of Washington. Or Oregon. And I STILL don't think there are that many in the state of Idaho!

Meanwhile, back at First Parish I missed the monthly pancake breakfast (which is always a treat to attend), and with it a presentation about our current "budget issues." I guess there was some miscommunication between the finance people and the breakfast people about how that was all supposed to take place, which resulted in some confusion and misunderstanding at the time...it's not really my bailiwick any more, but it still bothers me to see mix-ups like that happen, when they are so easy to avoid. I've also heard (unconfirmed) reports that at least two different groups of newcomers showed up for the breakfast, discovered the budget meeting, and left before services even started. That's kind of an eye opener too, but given MY experience at Immanuel, it makes me just that much more sensitive to how quickly and easily we can loose track of how other people perceive us, and especially about the subtle (and not so subtle) barriers we put up between "insiders" and "outsiders."

And I guess if this were still my bailiwick I would want to remind folks of that, and also encourage them to bring a hopeful and optimistic attitude to this entire process, rather than letting the dismal pessimism which so often accompanies these procedures hold sway. The primary mission of this church (or any church) is NOT to "balance the budget." A budget is merely a sheet of paper with a lot of numbers on it: a spending plan and some revenue projections. It's a moving target. It describes a potential reality; it doesn't create it. That comes later. Mt 6:25-33 "But seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these [other] things will be given to you as well."

WHEW! again. Now, if I can just stay in touch with the reality of what needs to be done....