Tag: leadership

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Church Leadership Journal Joy Notes

A Climate of appreciation returns to us on Pastor Appreciation Sunday!

As a pastor, you never quite know what the congregation will do for pastor appreciation Sunday, a verbal roast, a vacation you weren’t planning on, a hearty dinner or…?  And they like to keep us in suspense too.  But it is always worth the wait.

This year there were so many wonderful parts of it.   There was, of course, a great meal — a multi-course Italian dinner.  But there were also many cards of appreciation.  And so many people came up to us personally too and expressed private words of thanks for our help, support, discipleship and leadership in their lives.  That is so meaningful.   These would have been enough reward to last a long time, for as Paul said, you are our crown (1 Thess. 2:19).   

But the congregation added more.  They brought thoughtful gifts too.  Knowing that we enjoy going out to eat but seldom do, the congregation gave us gift cards to restaurants including my favorite fast-food  lunch spot –Subway and JoAnne’s favorite “my-birthday-treat” place – Red Lobster.    Then they brought out 2 huge bags, one for the Jones’ and one for Paashaus’.    Inside were gorgeous handmade quilts lovingly completed by the quilting fellowship group, done in our favorite colors.   JoAnne got it out nearly as soon as we were home and put it on our bed.   She loves it.  The ladies said that I had wandered through downstairs at church one day when they were working on it and remarked that it was a beautiful one.   But I had no idea it was for us.  It is the Dresden Plate pattern, one of my favorites too.

As I thought later about the wonderful day, I was humbled as I was reminded that I have tried to build into our church leaders a climate of appreciation.  I frequently write notes thanking them for their work.   I encourage them to do the same for others.   I teach how important it is to look for the gifts God has given to others and how God wants to use them in his work.    And now, on pastoral appreciation day, this climate of appreciation was coming back to us as pastors.   Perhaps in some way I am experiencing what Solomon was talking about, “He who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward” (Pr 11:18 NIV).   It seems I am reaping multiples of what I have sown.  It’s a God thing!  Awesome!

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Church Leadership Journal

The importance of recording

Keeping family memories

Journaling, picture taking, blogging, and sketching, those are the four ways we have chosen to record our 40th anniversary trip.  When we were younger, we were content to simply experience events, and maybe just take a few pictures.   We remember years ago when I was in the military and we traveled in Europe; to document things, we took some pictures on the old film rolls and JoAnne kept a notebook; but neither method was used too much.   

These days it seems we just enjoy writing and preserving the memory.  It seems almost as important as experiencing the event.     Maybe it’s because we realize our physical memories are getting weaker and we need pre-planned prepared methods to prod our neurons to trigger the precious reminiscences.  Anyway, these days we have doubled the number of ways we write and record.   JoAnne sketches with colored pencil and watercolor pencil and pen and she keeps her journal, some hand-written, some on computer.    Both of us take pictures, many more than ever with digital cameras; and, of course, I blog.    

Keeping organizational memories

As a leader, this got me thinking about the importance of organizational memory and how recording of events is so essential to create that.   How many meetings have I led where I didn’t have anyone keeping good minutes?    How many times have I asked a secretary to look something up in the minutes from a few months ago, only to find that the record was not adequate?   And how many times have we searched for a good picture of a past church event?   At Community Wesleyan Church we are coming to our 50th anniversary.   I am acutely aware that the history of the organization is very important in understanding its present; creating a sense of cohesiveness and for envisioning its path into the future.   Suddenly the role of historian– which seems so mundane, even trite, during most years– becomes very crucial.  Just by the choice of what is included in displays and the way it is labeled, the historian will play a critical role in interpreting the narrative of the church.    When you think about it, those who keep the organizational memory—increasingly this will involve website keepers too—are critical to the long term health of the organization.  For an organization has to deal, not just with fading memories, but with longer time spans and changing personnel.   The organization’s memory is crucial to keeping the spirit of the organization alive.

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Church Leadership

They moved the chocolate; can you believe it!

Change, change change; seems like every time you turn around something changes.  Monday night I was picking up a few things in Wegmans and as usual mosied over to find some chocolate.   Oh no!  it was not there!   It’s a crime.  They changed the location of the chocolate.  This store is so big and it’s hard enough to find things; we barely get to know it and then they go and change it….blah..blah…blah.   Fortunately, I found a young burly stock clerk who knew right where to lead me–I wonder why?    He left me there still mumbling about the audacity of the store to change the sacrosanct location of one its most crucial items.    

But as I thought about it and looked around some more, I discovered that the new chocolate spot was actually much more convenient for red-blooded American males like me.  It was on a direct route from the cookie aisle to the ice cream freezer.   I mean, how much more convenient can you get!   These guys are getting wiser all the time!   Well, anyway, I picked up some mouth-watering goodness to keep us supplied in essential comfort foods. 

I was reflecting on this humorous little sortie and how it relates to change in the church.  People sometimes complain about that too.    Really now?   Why was I so upset at first that  some anonymous pseudo-enemy called “they” would personally inconvenience me by moving my favorite snack?   

1.  I didn’t know about it.  The change blindsided me.
2.  I didn’t suggest it or have a chance to register my opinion about it.
3.  I was afraid it would make my life harder.
4.  There was no counter to my natural resistance to change.

Even though I quickly realized that the change was actually helpful to me, my initial reaction was negative.     There are definitely lessons to be learned here.

Change is essential.  A prosperous chain like Wegmans is constantly changing to meet the demands of the market and improve their profitability.   And while we customers groan about adjusting to the changes, we like the updated results.  On the other hand, when we go into, say a neighborhood hardware store that hasn’t moved anything in ten years, we sense that this place is on the way out and we wonder how long before the for-sale sign goes up. 

Churches need to learn from this contrast.   While our message doesn’t change, people who visit sense that if things haven’t changed in the look and feel of our operation in 20 years, they wonder if it is alive and well.   But, on the other hand, if even the most well-conceived change is not managed so that the four things I listed are cared for, it will create too much confusion and ill will, even when the change is clearly for the better.