Dear Friends,

            Given the vast reservoir of “wisdom and wit” that is at my disposal, I wondered what I should share with you this month. When I met at lunch in mid-October with the Northeast Cluster, they encouraged me to discuss the following topic, after I made a comment at our lunch together.

            We who have the privilege… and responsibility… of providing servant leadership in the Church are certainly aware of the many and competing claims for our attention, our thoughts, our reflection and our discernment. Much of our work is very public: leading worship, conducting funerals and weddings, attending many meetings and so forth. Yet it is also true that much of our work is “invisible”. There are times when people are simply unaware of where we are and what we are doing. We may be making calls… or at a meeting in the community… being a resource to a person or family in distress and on and on the list can go.

            What I’ve noticed more acutely in my ministry as Superintendent is that many of we clergy find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance between work, home and relaxa-tion. It seems that the ministry seems to attract those among us who are workaholics… and those who, frankly, are… lazy. Let me elaborate.

            There are those who serve among us who seem unable or unwilling to say “no.” Of course, when everything is important, nothing is important. We also confuse the dif-ference between important and urgent. We allow the latest demand on our time take precedence over that which enhances the Church’s long-term best interests. Some use their busy- ness as an “acceptable” form of a “high”… since we’re serving God and helping others, we tell ourselves. Sometimes our busy-ness, even in the Church, keeps us disconnected from God , our families and from each other. Theologically, it may well be another in a long list of idolatries: God/ the Church can’t do without me.

            On the other end of the continuum, there are those who take advantage of some of the inherent unseen nature of our work. Ways this is expressed include those who on a fairly consistent basis use their time to run errands, scan the Internet (for non-Church re-lated business), use God’s gift of time in casual and non-intentional ways. These clergy take advantage of the fact that much of our time is non-structured and people are often unaware of what it is that we do. By not using our time well, we dishonor one of God’s great gifts to us.

            Given the busyness of this fall season, this might well be a good time for us to examine our use of time. More and more often people seem to list the “scarcity” of time as being a source of stress in their lives. Given the sense that many often feeling rushed, let me suggest that we “take some time” to examine:

            *    How do I make decisions on how to prioritize how I am to spend my time?
            *   How I discern between “important” matters and those that are “urgent”?

            *   If this article “hits home”, what changes might God be inviting to make?
                 How will I decide among the options?

            *   Might my busyness be an attempt to keep God at bay?

            *   Am I using time in a “trifling” manner?
           
            *   What do I need to do differently (if this is true) and what are the resources I
                  can draw on to make a better, more faithful decision?
                  
            As always, I write this with the hope that it will help all of us be more faithful in our ministries together and help us to be better stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. I invite your feedback and trust that Christ’s gracious and renewing spirit will bless and renew you for the Journey.

Shalom,

Tom Macaulay
District Superintendent