Various

Dang! I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since my last post. The new job was still brand new then. In fact, I think I was in Atlanta at the time. I'm in Chicago this week and back in Atlanta again next week. Quite a whirlwind, but not unmanageable.

We got some sobering news a couple of weeks ago at church. Our pastor of 15 years is leaving for a new job. He's going to be dean of the undergrad school at Midwest Seminary. It's a great gig for him. He's a teacher at heart and I'm sure he'll do well and be very happy. It leaves a big hole for us to fill, though. By all accounts it takes a year or better for a church the size of ours to select a new pastor. I'm interested and scared to see how it all develops. Good groundwork has been laid in the past couple of years that should help us avoid some of the explosivity that can come with this type of disruption. We have a lot of different-thinking groups within the church in terms of worship style, philosophy of ministry, opinions on small groups vs Sunday school, youth ministry, children's ministry, etc. It's easy to imagine these differences becoming very divisive in the absence of leadership at the top. The staff we have is great, but they will have their hands full keeping all of the plates spinning.

It's interesting that when I heard the news it never occured to me to hope for the job for myself. After all, as impossible as it would be for me to get (not enough letters behind my name--like MDiv or PhD), it still seems like something that would at least stir something; some desire. One thing it might do is give me a shot at one of the openings that currently exist on the staff, but those will likely be left for the new pastor to fill once he comes in next year. We'll see--very likely another long shot.

Sandi thinks I should be on the pastor search committee. I wouldn't mind it, but I don't think I have the right political ties within the church to land a spot. I probably don't have the right politics at all, come to think of it. It's a crapping shame that those kinds of things come into play within the church, but you have to be pretty stupid not to see that they exist. It makes me really tired sometimes, but I actually feel pretty relaxed with the role I play right now. I am disappointed that I haven't had any chances to speak or preach in a while. I've asked friends in various places to chat me up with churches or groups who might need a fill-in once in a while, but nothing has come of it. Folks are just busy, I guess.

Pray for peace.

Mike