Mid week "work"

Today is Thursday. I am still very "chesty" after my flu of last week and easily break into coughing. I tire very easily. But I think I am improving.
This week has involved wheeling and dealing in relation to the community groups using our church halls. I sort of over booked for Tuesday night and had a late call on Wednesday night from the president of one group complaining about the noise of another group. I found myself getting a little impatient and ended up saying to her, "Maybe if you don't like what we have you should be looking into another hall to hire?" With this comment her mood changed to being much more conciliatory. They would not get a hall (and storage etc) for anywhere near as cheap as we hire it to them! People are funny they will push the boundaries and expect Churches and ministers to roll over and bend over backwards, but sometimes there has to be a line in the sand. This group seem intent on refusing to pack their chairs up, they frequently leave a mess, stain the carpet and also take up quite a bit of room with the stuff they expect us to store for them. It would not worry me if they left. When I started in this church we had two ministers buzzing around and also a voluntary church secretary who would do all the bookings. Now I seemed to have to do this job, and there are heaps more groups we have to fit in.

I have ended up on Wednesdays spending quite a bit of time at Space2B. There is a small consistent  group of people who come and eat lunch together. It is an informal group who sit around a table, eat and drink and talk. Some do not come to church on Sunday, but still love to come to talk on Wednesday. One lady offered to do some voluntary stuff while there, so she excuses herself and goes up to the drop-in centre and vacuums it. Lately I have been impressed with and enjoy the depth of the conversation. It is becoming a group of firm friends who feel free to share their journey at depth. I feel guilty sometimes that I am not working, just sitting and talking. If I mention this they jump down my throat, "But you ARE working!" I conclude that it is a worthwhile group to be a part of. It is a part of my dream for Space2B. It will be my "Wednesday congregation."

To give you an idea of "me" and what I do, here is today's program. Went into office by 9 after doing a little reading at home. Checked emails and responded to one or two. Talked with a couple. This guy's brother had died suddenly on Saturday in Timaru (2 hours travel away) I listened to the story of the funeral and talked. At 10 I started wandering around the brewery talking to staff there. I had quite a few good conversations. At 12 I walked back to the church buying my lunch on the way. At 12:30 till 1:15 met with my organist to discuss Sunday's service songs. 1:15 till 1:45 met with the Elders' team to discuss and pray for pastoral needs in the Church and beyond. From 2 p.m. till about 4:30p.m. wandered around my newspaper chaplaincy talking with people, returning to the Church to prepare some material for the Night Shelter Trust Board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Met with them till 8 p.m. came home buying fish and chips on the way. Had fish and chips doing this blog post as a way to unwind. Now I will make a final song selection for Sunday and email that away. By that time my wife will be home from her Habitat for Humanity Directors meeting.

Tomorrow... time sheets, service prep, morning tea with a friend, at least one hour newspaper chaplaincy, spend time at St John over lunch, 1:30 - 3 office paper work, from 3 - 5:30 fire stations chaplaincy, prepare Church newsletter material, 6:30 - 10:30 drop-in centre with a late night because we have the big screen going for people to watch the Rugby World Cup game.

As you can see I don't have much time to spare.