When you get to a new church *they* tell you that there is a 6 month honeymoon. For the first two months at the new church, I believed them. Things have been fabulous. People are warm, helpful, gracious, encouraging, just all around wonderful to be in ministry with. And then month three rolled around and the gloves came off and to *them* I say: "What on earth happened to those other 4 months?!" Don't get me wrong. Things aren't horrible. But they're not honeymoon either. If there's not debate around the homeless, then there's debate about the youth, and if there's not debate about the youth, there's debate about the "renters" and if there's not debate about the renters....well, you get the idea. And for some reason all of this is coming out in the last 2 weeks. There's grumpy, murmuring, and fussing over everything from hedges to worship order. And this week...I'm tired.
Not that I didn't expect it. I knew things wouldn't be roses and homemade jam forever, but still. I've even been anticipating it to happen sooner rather than later. The "easy street" I've been on has made me pick up speed and after picking up enough speed I felt like I was hurtling forward at a rate I couldn't stop and figured there'd be a big brick wall around one of these bends. Apparently this week I hit it. I hit the wall of "no change in worship" of "not them" and "we can't let ______ leave because ________ is one of our best givers." Fabulous.
My saving grace this week? An email from a member who's getting really excited about reading and studying the Bible and loves the academic/archeology/historical/cultural side of biblical studies and is not only excited, but regularly includes me in her process and shares her thoughts! Thank God for signs that ministry matters despite the pedantic rigmarole.
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