It's an important weekend - in a weird way, I guess. For me, my name goes to a call committee today. Two other candidates are also being presented to the congregation. My skills and passions match well with what this congregation says (in their paperwork) they are looking for in an associate pastor; I would love, love, love to stay in this part of CA; but yet I'm strangely flat, emotionally speaking, about this. I hope it is because I am tired of the huge emotional ups and downs and not because I've stopped caring about all of this. I do hope that the call committee wants to begin a conversation with me - I think this is an interesting community that is asking good questions about their place in the community, and I am interested to see how I might fit in with what they are up to in their community and in the world.
It's a straight up important weekend for someone else. I have a good friend who is "on stage" this weekend at a congregation in her synod. She has interviewed and is now going to preach and show off her charming self to the congregation on a Sunday morning. Go SHM! I think, considering the location, that you should preach in your "big snake" voice.
On Wednesday, the annual bishop's visit happens at the seminary. The bishop from the synod I was assigned to will be here. I haven't heard a word from him in close to 3 months...and only once from the guy working mobility. Not once have I received contact asking if I have a job or a place to live or how I am dealing with the long wait. Maybe it is too much to ask...but I would hope not. Other friends in this situation have similar experiences - a lot of talk about being patient and what the synod needs/wants, but little effort is made to help those of us in limbo, or even to check in with us. It's very frustrating and disappointing and is what is really making me angry at this point. As a friend recently reminded me when I commented on how busy bishops and their assistants are, "but you're one of the things they are supposed to be busy with!"
About Me
- ktjhawk
- I grew up in North Dakota, lived in Kansas for 11 years spent 5-1/2 years in the San Francisco Bay area for seminary, and I am now an Associate Pastor in California, at Anonymous Lutheran Church (ALC).
2 comments:
Yes, yes, yes! to your last paragraph! Frustrating to say the least, and if I start to rant, here, I might never stop...
Oh lord, if I preached in the big snake voice, my sermon would take 45 minutes, but wouldn't it be fun?? :-)
Katy-
Seriously...the bishops really need to keep in contact with their future pastors. You would think they would WANT you to feel that you can depend on them. Also, it seems that it's hard to be frustrated because once again, the bishop will be your boss and you don't want to start out on a down note. Sometimes it seems that there is no winning with this system! But, alas, you will become what you truly are just as seeds planted in the field. There are times I ask God, "why did you invent time?"
Love ya!!
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