Now, I already know what you are thinking (at least I think I do). You’re thinking why would she record thoughts and memories of her first business meeting as a pastor. Aren’t those the things that give pastors and ministers headaches and sleepless nights? Aren’t those the same events that members suddenly come down with sickness in order to miss?
Yeah, that’s what I had always heard, too, but that certainly wasn’t the case last night. I have always been in professions where meetings were a part of the expectation in order to ensure that everyone was on the same page and everyone was operating with the same knowledge-base. For me, last night was just as important and rewarding as the last 4 Wednesday nights that I’ve spent getting to know my congregation.
Although, I am the Interim Pastor, I can’t forget that the people who have called me have been a part of this church for years and years and I have been a part of this church for 1 month. For me, there’s something incredibly humbling about being invited to walk with people who have already been walking together for so long.
While it would be nice to think that being a part of church meant being excluded from societal responsibilities of rent and utilities, participating in society is something we certainly have been called to do. So, then the church can also be an agent of change in how she does business without being outside of society.
As I sit here at a restaurant’s outside dining area, I realize that they are 15 minutes from closing. Although I love writing and recording my thoughts here, they are more important than actually doing the things I’m saying. And so, I’ll close my computer, move on and respect the business they are doing rather than making them work later so I can talk about how the church can better participate in society.