a few days ago, one of our co-pastors announced his intention to resign as our minister. his announcement came as a surprise, though in retrospect i can see he has been moving in this direction for awhile now. about a year ago, he asked to have his work load with the church reduced so he could work part-time for a time management company with which he had become involved as a consumer of its products, and the church consented. now the same company has offered him a full-time job that he is excited to accept. his wife, our other co-pastor, will continue as our full-time minister if the church approves the arrangement; as co-pastors, their employment paid each a three-quarter's salary.
i will be sad to see the male member of the team leave his position with our church, though the savings in salary and benefits will help us financially, and he will continue to be active in the church as a layman. he and i have our differences, but i love him as a person who is a child at heart in many ways. he has managed to carry the joy of discovery and play into his adult life as few have, and he has a zest for life that is energizing. now that both of their college-age children are no longer living at home, it will be easier for the wife to be our full-time pastor. it will be a challenge for her to do what is essentially the job of one-and-a-half people, taking on her husband's duties while continuing with her own. i suspect she will enjoy her work more and the church will function with greater efficiency because there won't be the constant negotiation of who is in charge of what, though the two of them worked together quite well.
i'm suspicious of the concept of "time management," and have never been one to keep a day planner. i wonder if this whole idea of managing time is not a ploy to sell products--fancy calendars, self-help books, consulting services, and the like. maybe for some, this approach is helpful, if one is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of life and unable to prioritize the tasks one faces and organize one's time to enable that which is most essential to get done. that's never been a problem for me, so i don't understand how it is a problem for others. our soon-to-be former co-pastor believes that he has discovered a method that has improved his life and feels that his new job will allow him to help others in the same way. i wish him well in his new pursuit, but i won't be using his company's services.
may we all find adventure in living, realizing that each moment is precious and fleeting, never to return again. may we make wise decisions along the path, seeking new ways of serving others and having the courage to follow our dreams. shalom.
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