Day 4: Church Meeting or Banana Bread?

Guess you know now which I chose??
Yesterday was the regularly scheduled meeting of Chignecto Presbytery, a regular gathering that I am obligated to attend as a member of the Order of Ministry of the United Church of Canada... and I had planned to attend!  I did!  Really!!  But as the day progressed my focus changed.

First off I went to Amherst to get the car aligned and was informed that a tie-rod end would need to be replaced.  So... the appointment was rescheduled to the 16th.  With a morning to myself I decided to go shopping.  I needed some personal care items for the trip and wanted to get a couple of light moisture wicking t-shirts.  For the first time in months I set foot in Wal-Mart and was quickly reminded why I hate shopping!

With sun-screen and other non-essentials (as per our current weather) purchased I returned to Sackville and stopped to visit a few colleagues and was invited no less then three times to travel with them to Moncton to the meeting.  At the first invitation I decided not to go.  The two subsequent invitations confirmed it for me and I began to think: If not Presbytery what would you do?  Hmmm.  Bake banana bread!

Why make just one?  I doubled the recipe!  Flour, sugar, bananas... sugar... off to the store... eggs, baking soda and baking powder, all mixed together into a gooey mess!  Into the oven it goes and the aroma was awesome!

Banana bread vs. Presbytery Meeting

  • Banana Bread: Left over fruit is utilized.
  • Presbytery Meeting: Past decisions get revisited.
  • Banana Bread: Good aroma fills the house.
  • Presbytery Meeting: Tense energy fills the room.
  • Banana Bread: A feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day.
  • Presbytery Meeting: More demands placed on already overworked volunteers.
  • Banana Bread: Tasty sweet bread.  One for now and one for later!
I'm glad I chose to stay home and make banana bread!

The more I think about it the more I am convinced that the way we "do church management" in the United Church of Canada needs to change.   Many congregations are unable to secure a full compliment of Presbytery Representatives.  The representatives from Congregations and Pastoral Charges that do attend have an ever increasing average age.  Add to this the ever increasing volume and complexity of responsibilities that Presbyteries are being tasked with... and... the increasing need for Congregations, Pastoral Charges and Ministry Personnel to focus on in house matters for their very survival... there are days when I wish we had Bishops - managers who could more effectively make decisions and implement polity.  If this were the case, perhaps I wouldn't feel so guilty eating the banana bread that sits  on the plate by my second cup of coffee this morning?

Comments

  1. Jeff DoucetteJune 16, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    Thank goodness you are not my mentor during my appointment process...lol. I am not sure of how Pastoral Relations would react to your view of Presbytery...not that Steve Berube's would be much different I am sure as he begins the mentoring process with me. I am sure both your fresh baked bread and most presbytery meetings make you go bananas...ahem.

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