THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “…at the speed of Church”

Autumn is my favorite time of year in New England. OK, technically, it’s Indian Summer (which is really just Autumn at its best). The crisp, brisk air. The colorful autumn leaves. Traditional college football rivalries and (of course) Thanksgiving Day. I’ve often expressed my opinion that if the Pilgrims had landed at Plymouth Rock at any other time of year, the inhabitants of this little corner of the world would all still be speaking Algonquin. Autumn is the season that makes up for the bitterly cold winters, the soggy (and muddy) springs, and the oppressively humid summers (which I’ve been told never happen in Maine). It’s the season that makes New England what it is.

The heart of Autumn also marks a slight lull in the rhythm of the church program year: a quick pause to catch our breath and take a look around between the scramble to get everything started up again after Labor Day, and the hectic bustle of Advent and the holidays. And then, in January, another little breather before marching forth into Lent and Easter, and finally coasting along past Earth Day and Mother’s Day and Memorial Day to the end of spring, and the beginning of our informal summer services. And then, after Labor Day, the whole thing begins all over again. World Without End.

The leisurely pace of the life of the church can often become frustrating for those who wish that churches could be more “businesslike,” and deal with issues in a far more efficient and timely fashion than they generally do. And there have certainly been many times in my long career as a minister when I have shared that frustration.

But over the years I’ve also grown to realize that life in the business world is typically driven by people who work 40+ hours a week simply to earn their livelihoods, while in comparison churches are notoriously “understaffed,” (even by the standards of most other non-profits), and tend to depend on the generous work of part-time volunteers in order to get things done.

There’s a big difference between being part of an organization where everyone is expected to show up 5 days a week/50 weeks a year, and one where we are doing well if half the people show up once or twice a week for more than a couple of hours at a time. It’s simply not fair to judge the performance of the latter by the standards of the former. It’s like comparing Pumpkins and Cranberries. One grows in a patch and the other in a bog, but both have a place at the table.

On the other hand, (at least compared to most businesses) churches really are in it for the long haul, and can afford to take a larger view in order to see the bigger picture. First Parish, for example, has been serving this community since 1674, and (God willing) will continue to be a vital presence in the heart of the city of Portland for another three centuries and longer. When you think in those terms, there’s always going to be plenty more that needs to be done around a church; and even though ministers supposedly work 24/7, no minister can ever hope to do it all alone. In fact, without the support and active assistance of all of you, I doubt I’d be able to get much of anything done at all.

Scripture also tells us that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.” The most essential thing is that we learn to walk together in the right direction, moving quickly enough that no one gets too far out in front of the rest of the group, but not so quickly that others are left to lag behind. Some forge ahead and blaze the trail, some lend a helping hand to stragglers and bring up the rear, and all are responsible for assisting and encouraging and supporting one another, in every season of our lives. So that with every step we take toward our destination, there will be even more of us to share the journey than when we started out…….twj