No, I'm not several weeks late. Today is---or will be---Good Friday in a very personal way: the various workmen who have visited my property in the last three days have determined that the leak in my waterline is easily fixable, that it is not galvanized pipe which would have required a complete replacement of the line, and that it can be done today in a short period of time! (They're here now working on it!)
Is that Good News or what?
In other matters, I am feeling very happy about a number of things going on in the congregation right now:
1. Our intergenerational Mother's Day/Flower Communion/Child Dedication service is coming together nicely. We are dedicating 6 kids, all members of families new to the congregation, which is a thrill in itself. We always give a rosebud to each child, which looked like it was going to cost an arm and a leg these days, but I found a miniature rose bush which has 6 lovely buds and blooms on it. So it's even a green gift!
2. I'll be performing 3 weddings and doing 3 preaching gigs this summer, all of which I enjoy very much and fatten up my savings account a bit. I was getting a little bit worried about whether I was going to be doing anything income-producing this summer and all of a sudden several things came in. And there could be more in the offing.
3. The compilation of responses to our stewardship campaign has just been published and I was thrilled to read many, many warm and loving responses to my work here as a minister. It's always a little scary to peruse something like that, because many times criticisms are stated so blatantly and unkindly that it's quite painful, even though they may be legitimate concerns. Remember this, if you're ever asked to fill out a survey on your minister!
4. And it's a beautiful day here on the island!
11 comments:
Let's hear it for plumbing, plumbers, and fixable problems! :)
Wow - it does indeed sound like a Good Friday!
Well, congratulations especially for item number three. I recently looked at your congregations's website with its pictures of the new building. Probably it is very good for the morale of congregation-members to see something materializing, rather than roosting with the Lutherans (no, I have nothing against Lutherans, although ML himself was something else . . .).
"O Happy Day, O Happy Day" used to be a favorite old hymn of mine and it has taken on new meaning, with the return of decent water pressure to my little home.
Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions, everyone. I never did get a chance to ask about the horsepower, but if the pump continues to run abnormally, I'll do that.
All I can say is "Yay!"
HOORAY! Ms. K, that's a lot of great news all at once. Congrats!
My water line also needs replacing...and it's galvanized steel, probably 50 years old. Mom, Steve, and I are talking about renting a Ditch Witch (trench digging machine) one weekend and doing it ourselves...it'll save money, but kick our asses at the same time. So I'm glad your plumbing probs got worked out!
Yep, I feel really lucky that the landlord is the one paying for this, though even with the backhoe and three guys digging, it totalled about $500, which isn't too awful.
Anyhow, I now have the best water pressure I've ever enjoyed in this house!
"Remember this, if you're ever asked to fill out a survey on your minister!"...and other folks in the ministry at your congregation.
The opportunity for very public (and unfortunately, often anonymous) criticism is frequently present, and it can be a lot of weight to be under.
First hand experience tells me we all work toward our best selves when others are seeing it in us, and are kind and gentle and loving, or at least personal when they think we can do better.
That said, I felt really good today when someone in my congregation called me the "highlight of her year." Very kind.
Amen, Masasa! In fact, I think the part about "anonymous" public criticism needs to be addressed. I would advocate, if there is an anonymous response on a survey that is personally critical of an employee, that the response not be included in the summary of responses. It is simply too damaging to the employee's effectiveness, even if it's true.
My Committee on Ministry has a policy that anonymous criticisms of the minister will not be shared; the person must be willing to be identified if s/he wants to offer a criticism.
An anonymous complaint about a person on a survey is like mass triangulation, dishonest, damaging to both criticizee and criticizer, and in the end, useless because it cannot be determined whether it's true or the result of mental indigestion.
To go one step further, I would recommend that criticism of an employee/minister on a survey be shared only with the person criticized and then only if the criticizer is identified. Also I would prefer that it be done in a "managed" session, not simply passed along willy-nilly.
GREAT BLESSINGS on the plumbing. I swear, that is one of the worst things to have to deal with, though I am beginning to feel as though the HVAC stuff is ranking right up there at the moment...
::smooches:: So glad to see you!
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