Good Council

An hour and a half council meeting tonight. Good work done. There was some intensity around a recurring issue that came up in a committee report (having to do with one of our ministries). After spending 20 minutes on it the council came to a conclusion. Later on our agenda was this very same issue (that we thus didn't need to spend any time on) but one of the council members asked if I would relay a touching story that I had previously told him of how this ministry has made a difference in a person's life. He said, "After going around and around for months and months on such a petty issue, it's good to remember that what we do isn't about [the issue], but about the ministry we do."

So true.

My congregation's council is so good right now. We had a retreat on Saturday. They have and are working hard. And they have and are doing a fantastic job. It is such a relief. (I say as I realize that I am energized after this meeting - and that the last truly bad council meeting I remember was last November. From Aug-Nov of '05 council meetings were at least 3 hours long. Miserable.)

Another issue (from this very same ministry) was included on the committee report as a recommendation. It had very little information and did not really come out of a meeting, but out of the committee chair's head when she was writing up the other recommendation. In the past, I've had to be the one to note that there really wasn't any specific request, so we really didn't have anything to talk about. This time, it was noted, it was discussed for all of 2 minutes as to what the person might mean. It was then determined that we needed to table it to ask for more clarification from the committee. In the past, this would have been an issue that went on for 1/2 an hour. I'm so proud.

Yes, recognition of what isn't being done correctly came out of this meeting. Recognition of some problems (like one of the committee chairs is sending her committee reports via e-mail, but they aren't being received...arrgh!). But, it feels like I am part of a great team.
Amen.