What a relief.
Today's Churchiness Meeting was a meeting that I had been dreading for many, many moons. I feel... strangely... glad that it is over, exhausted by the experience, and... believe it or not... completely unsure how the whole scene will play out in the future. See -- they're trying to decide whether &/or how to close the church. Yuk.
Ah - but you ask (rightly so) how it is that I dare to say "They" instead of "we"? Well, I retired today. I told them that this was going to be my last meeting and that I'm officially retiring from all official offices AFTER this meeting. This isn't because I hate -- no wait, um... This isn't because I'm disappointed by anyone (which is why most people leave the church) but because we are moving out of the area. If we were staying, we'd stay. But we aren't, so we won't.
It was still an evil meeting and rude things were brought up over and over again -- like how thoughtless it is that I sing with my hands in my pockets, how negative I am, and how I hang out with the wrong kind of people* -- I apologized again and again for offending people yet refused to compromise myself. IOW - I said that I trust the trustees more now than before. One person jumped on me that this was a far cry from trusting them completely. Well, I agreed with her. Why did I agree with her? Because I don't trust them completely. Sorry. (again) Why should I lie to these people just to make them happy? I will be honest and polite, but I will not blow sunshine where it don't belong.
Anyway, I pretty much made my last official statement. I said that I believe the congregation has to make a choice. Either it will choose to preserve it's assets (bonds, building, parsonage) or it will choose to preserve it's ministry (The Body of Christ, ministering to the community). I was polite and refrained from saying "choose this day whom you will serve". But I did say "That's it. I'm Done."
What a relief.
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* I admit, quotes are out of context, but all of this came up today. How nice.
5 comments:
You know, its sort of disappointing to me that you and Q are moving out of the area right when Mandy and I are moving into it. But ah well - such is life.
More on topic - I understand the feeling of sitting in a church meeting, being attacked, and having to respond politely and unoffensively, yet somehow maintain your own integrity as to what you truly think. Not a fun place to be, yet not the worst either.
jackasses. Call me, I want names.
To use an old phrase "the fat lady has sung"
My thoughts at
www.deadtheologiansclub.blogspot.com
Yo Calvin,
I'm a bit bummed about that, too. God's timing is a very strange thing. I can recall a number of specific years when I wanted to say NOW and God closed all the doors, telling me WAIT.
In fact, last year and the year before I figured 'surely NOW?', but God said WAIT. Then this church thing blew up and I figured that surely God wouldn't move us out in the middle of this...
Yet, God nudged us off and is sending us away. Go figure. Honestly, I didn't understand it until yesterday's church meeting. It's just time for us to go. Now.
No worries. I'm sure we can make our paths cross from time to time!
Indeed! If nothing else, we'll be able to do coffee or something at the annual SBL (though I doubt Mandy and I will be out in CA this year :( ).
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