Sunny Days

Today is a glorious sunny day and because of that I had thought I would take advantage of the spring-like weather and venture out and catch up with the world beyond the manse door.   This morning I have managed to fit in two meetings that add a little bit of direction to some of the things that might happen around congregational life.   One alleviated me of a convenership, while the other gave me a new task but not one I have to necessarily hurry over.

This afternoon, I headed out the front door not long after finishing my lunch and wandered along to visit one of the congregation members.   I had promised to do so before heading off on holiday and today presented an ideal opportunity.   On meeting the Nursing Home manager at the door my plan was thwarted as said lady was watching a film - these things happen.

So taking advantage of being in an area I thought I might try some of those who lived near-by.   They too were obviously taking advantage of the weather, and hopefully they will be enjoying the world as it presents itself today.  

However having rung four doorbells, I have given up my plan for the afternoon and am following my one-time supervisor's advice - if after four doors there is no-one home, go and do something else.

Of course had I phoned ahead I might have known there would be no-one there, but I left with a planned visit I thought might take a while.   My thought had been to make the journey to that area worthwhile once my original plan had failed.

So now to make an hour's unexpected desk time worthwhile.   Who knows, perhaps this week I might have a sermon idea before Friday.

Best Laid Plans

With the children finally back to school, and some sense of normal routine moving into place, this morning I awoke with plans for the day.   At 9am I sat at my desk and wrote my list of things I hope to achieve, most of which was arranging meetings for the next few weeks.   Sadly I am now waiting for confirmation that two meetings can take place before I organise the next two.

This is often my frustration and one of the reasons why it seems to take so long for things to happen or I then forget to progress things forward as the task drops off the list of "to-dos" for that week.   Sadly it is part and parcel of what I think most ministers do.   For many of us, the volunteers who take part in meetings and organisation either have day jobs or commitments during the day and so cannot respond to e-mail or phone calls immediately.   Instead a waiting game for knowledge of availability takes place.  

By this time tomorrow I should have a rough idea of when meetings are happening so that I can start organising the next batch.   But by this time tomorrow there are two new items to be added to the list already.

So while I wait I might work on a couple of the written items on my list, for there's a funeral to write and the fun of writing a "theology of hall letting".   That in itself may result in another wander into blogging as I work through some of the questions I have and responses that the elders have made.