For most of the 11 years of ordained ministry, taking a day off was an easy thing to do. The day apart was carved into the week and a good habit. These days, Sabbath is consumed, not so much by working too much, but commuting--I've been doing 3-4 hours in the car per day. I'm not sure how to address this new issue. I'm spending a lot of time traversing the Puget Sound, not completing all the tasks I wish to complete. Maybe I'm imagining a lack of productivity. When I spend all that time in the car, the work still has to get done, and some of that work ends up falling on a Friday. My designated Sabbath is a failure at this point.
Even though I loathe the inefficient committee structure, these regular meetings were dependable in that I was reliably present to groups of people in the congregation. I still don't want to go back to that life of committees, but making the best out of my time is a new dynamic. I've always worked toward being a good time steward--I just need to find new ways to do it. For First Lutheran Community Church, the sermon and music matter greatly. The sermon remains a high-investment activity, and the Transition Team will take a significant effort.
I appreciate all of the feedback about the tweets and blogposts--many folks come through the worship and gathering space and thank me for the writing. This writing-feedback cycle is a new paradigm for me in congregational communication--I'm still getting used to it.
Friday is devoted to getting my home in order while intermittently preparing for the Council/Staff Retreat in Silverdale on Saturday. I'll let you know how that goes, because I'm considering widening the circle for what I teach Saturday to the congregation, possibly in a Wednesday evening class.
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