My job really hasn’t shifted much since my ordination. I do appreciate it when you call me Rev., of course, and relish the opportunity to wear fancy stoles (Advent is coming soon!) but in the day-to-day business, not much has changed. I have however taken on some of those “extra duties as assigned,” and here’s the newest one: Presbytery service.
Yes, Presbytery, those daylong regional gatherings of pastors and elders, where much is discussed, and many (many) reports are given. Gone are the days when I could stroll in fashionably late, because now I’m in charge of PowerPoint slides for the whole meeting!
Running a slideshow is good for me because I’m easily distracted if my mind is allowed to go free-range and cage-less. It is hard for anyone to stay fully present for an 8-hour-long meeting, but some find it easier than others, and I definitely count myself with those others. If my hands and mind aren’t sufficiently occupied during a meeting, they usually end up on my phone and social media – at first I do this to share an insight from the meeting, but then I look at videos of cats falling down, and on and on. It’s hard to stay focused and I need some interventions. One is to just keep my hands busy by knitting or drawing. But another tactic I use is to give myself lots of little jobs to do, and Powerpoint is perfect for this; I have to keep track of business and edit motions as they are amended (and sometimes, the amendment to the amendment of the main motion…). At the very least, I have to sit in the front row looking like I understand what’s going on as I click through the slides. So I’m happy to give up my late Presbytery arrivals in exchange for this small but important role.
To me, the difference between sitting through a meeting vs. Powerpointing through a meeting is like the difference between silent meditation and walking meditation. I’ve never been fantastic at the totally silent kind of meditation. My monkeymind is just too active for that. But walking slowly and mindfully, perhaps repeating a word or prayer with each step, is the kind of meditation that allows me to truly relax and open up. I am grateful that we know both kinds of meditation – contemplative and active. I welcome you all to find the kind that suits you, whether that’s keeping your hands busy by coloring in church on Sunday morning, or by taking on a bigger role such as a service position at church. We don’t have Powerpoint here, but we do have sound system operators, lay readers, ushers, and a large group of unofficial newcomer greeters who keep their minds busy even as they participate in Celebration.
I will end with a quick thanks for you, the MPC congregation, because when I talk about Presbytery or other conferences I’ve been to, nobody has ever asked “how long will that take you away from work?” Yes, these meetings take me and Ben away from the office, but not away from work. You all understand that this kind of wider church participation and service is not separate from, but is indeed a part of our work here as pastors, and that it is important for us to be so connected to God’s mission work both near and far.
Every Blessing,
Talitha