Reflecting on Ministry

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Dissident sheep

Ministry
We are starting an adventurous, and challenging project in the parish. It is (Partly) in my mind a last ditch attempt to engage people in our parish in authentic outreach ministry, which it seems to me is miussing in the inward-looking nature of what we do.
Our planning meeetings have been pedestrian. I said early on in the piece reflecting my lack of organisation in particular, that it would be necessary for thisto be "driven" by someone else.
Indeed, I have a certain amount of tiredness from having to implement other people's good ideas.
Although I led the initial discernment discussions, it soon became apparent that no one would pick it up.
When the Council reflected on this I stuck to my guns and said "If we want this to fail then leave it to me to drive". D picked up the coordination and she has coordinated to 2 meetings. I have worked closely with her before and she is well-organised, and progresses things well, and tried to incorporate all those who want to be so.
I attended these meetings and inputted as a member rather than the leader.
At the last meeting I gave (what turned out to be) a lengthy input about requirements and expectations our local and diocesan community have about those engaged in pastoral ministry.
Injected into this is also a philosophy/theology of mutual ministry which requires formal participation and ongoing commitment from team members.
T, who it seems to me, borders on the obsessive (in a nice enthusiastic way) also inputted. He has recently been involved as a volunteer with a church agency because he is presently out of work.This is an important part of his life.
He reflected from this experience that everyone should have their own folder of resources so that they could refer people to appropriate agencies.
I suggested that this would work for some but not for others (myself for example). He was clearly not amused. And we were told that this was the best, perhaps the only, way to work efficiently. Some agreed with him. I remain unconvinced knowing that we have an abundance of such resources which don't get used.
I tried not to let this become an authority battle (as it didn't seem to be such to me)....but he worried it.
I tried to back peddle so as to not make it seem that I was criticising his significant effort.
This harks back (I suspect) to a worship preparation session for Trinity Suinday, in which I pushed him to try and be clkearer about what he was trying to say and do. He didn't understand this process, and just felt it was a waste of his time.
There was a sense (for me) of so far and no further.
My concerns are that I don't want to dampen his enthusiasm. I also don't want us to be the victim of someone else's compulsions which may be unrecognised and irrational.
This particular matter was not, to my mind, so important.
But the relationship dynamic threatens this important group.
I am concerned that I may be threatened by the authority dynamic that is going on here.
I am also concerned that I often tend to deal with this sort of problem by not exercising authority and walkign away from the situation. Which is what I feel tempted to do now, maybe I need to even explore this now.

Reflection
Scripture:

Tradition:

Social Perspective:

Anglican Praxis:

This weblog is a personal ministry reflection log. While your comments are appreciated they are not essentially what this log is about. So they may (or may not) be included.

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