disappointment – Salvaged Faith

In plenary this morning, we decided not to pass #Rule44.

I’m disappointed.

I’m disappointed that we won’t get to use the process, but even more disappointed that so many didn’t know what the process was.

And I’m not talking about the content of #Rule44… I’m talking about the information about how it would be implemented.

As I wrote in the wee hours of this morning, I was asked to be a small group leader and ONLY last night were we given the details of implementation. I rushed home to blog, because it was information that was NECESSARY to understanding the process, clearing up confusions, dispelling fears and rumors, and the information simply had not been shared.

So, I’m frustrated and disappointed.

I walked into the break and met a new friend and shared with him the process. The information likely would have changed his vote. I’m emailing him the content when we finish.

My summary is here

So, how did we not have it?

And what can we learn… What needs to happen differently in 2020 or in our annual conferences if we want to try something like this?

INFORMATION
All of the information about process needs to be available. It didn’t need to be in the rule, but the small group and facilitation process should have been included as a supplement with the ACDA

Where there is a void, anything and everything else will seek to fill it… Including fear, doubt, speculation, and hesitation.

EXPERIENCE
We could have used it as a tool with delegations as they met to prepare to familiarize them with the process. In that way, the kinks could have been worked out through amendments based on lived experience.

LOGISTICS
At last night’s training, I heard some among the small group leaders express that the content and the process were good, but that we didn’t have the logistical infrastructure in place to implement it.

If you are going to do something new, you need to think of every detail. The room space. How assignments are communicated. The availability of interpreters.

And that means a well oiled machine working together.

We provided lots of feedback last night, but the reality is, there were uncertainties about whether the changes would it could be implemented in time and if they weren’t, that the process would suffer as a result.

Without this process, we’ll proceed in other ways. Business will be accomplished (I pray).

But I also pray that we will learn and grow and get it right next time.

We have to learn that the logistics are just as important as the process.

The numbers game is something that we play a lot in the church. We want to know how many baptisms and members and monies and ministries were at play in a given year. We want to see upward trending statistics. We believe success lies in digits… which supposedly translate into actual lives being transformed… although I am not always convinced that it is the case.

I resist the numbers game. I don’t let low numbers phase me if actual good solid God work is happening. Our weekly communion service at the church averages about 7… it is faithful, transformative, worship… and if one week we have only three people there, it doesn’t upset me. God is going to work through the conversation and interaction those three people have. God is being worshipped in our music whether there are a few or a few hundred.

At the same time, when the numbers disappoint us and the people don’t show up, sometimes your will to keep going starts to waver a bit.

At our recent graduate breakfast at the church we planned a celebration for the four high school graduates and two college graduates we knew about who were connected to our congregation. We sent out the invites, we purchased gifts, we decorated the hall and prepared to celebrate. And only the two college graduates showed up. 1/3 of our guests of honor were in attendance. And I think that smarted a little bit for the folks who had put in the hard work to make arrangements and honor those students.

I wondered how much that was simply an issue with our church. Did we not explain it well enough? Did we get out the information in a timely manner? Do we smell bad?

But then only a few days later, we had our community baccalaureate service. Of all of the students who were invited… of all the faculty and staff who recieved invitations… of all the school board members and adnimistrators… we had a grand total of five students participate and a handful of parents, community members and of course, the six pastors of our community.

To have more pastors than students was a little frustrating. To say we were disappointed is an understatement.

What do you do with those numbers that are so low?

Do you focus your attention on the people that were touched? Yes.

Do you fret about what you cannot change? Of course not.

But what is the next step? Do you redouble your efforts for the future? Ignore the numbers and keep forging ahead as usual? Consider it an anomaly in the statistics? Decide not to do it again? Cancel it for now until another class, another set of parents, another group of people steps up and tells you it is important?

That is what I don’t know.

It would be a shame to lose this opportunity for community worship and celebration. It would also be a shame to not mark this moment in our students lives for those who find faith important in their journey.

But if there is not energy and passion behind something, isn’t it okay to let it go for a time?

We’ll see what happens as our community ministerial alliance gets together for future conversations… but at this time, I’m not sure what I would recommend. All I know is that I’m a little disappointed.

Posts Tagged with disappointment

What can we learn? #rule44 #umcgc

disappointing numbers