What Happened

I've met this evening with my Committee on Ministry.

It's been a few years since my Scouting days, but I am yet undergirded by the motto, "Be Prepared."

And I was. A week or two ago I caught a rumor or two of what might be wrong. That maybe they thought I hadn't done some things I was asked to do when my last call ended four years ago. So I got to work and documented that I'd taken care of all but one thing, and that one thing depended upon others, not on me.

I presented this to my executive presbyter before the main meeting, and by the time I was called in, it was no longer an issue.

I was prepared.

But I wasn't prepared for some other things.

I asked for this meeting because one committee member told me, "You're being stymied for some reason, and you need to find out why."

Turned out, I'm not exactly being stymied. At least, not by my presbytery. Tonight I learned they have referred me for Interim Pastor positions-- it was the churches who chose not to ring me up. And as for why I've had only a handful of contacts via our centralized PC(USA) computerized church-pastor dating service in Lullvull, and why Lullvull made me no matches at all from late January to early May-- I should ask Lullvull. My presbytery hasn't been saying unflattering things about me!

Let me tell you, this made me feel like an idiot. But saying, "But Leslie* said I was being stymied!" would not cut it. It would impress no one with my grace and maturity. No.

So I asked what would make them feel able to enthusiastically recommend me if a church did call them for a reference.

Are you prepared for this?-- (I wasn't)-- they said, "Get a job."

Ain't that something to make a girl feel like a pimply twenty-four-year-old drinking beer and watching ESPN on his mother's coach at 3:00 in the afternoon on a weekday!

They said they want something definite to say when inquiring pulpit committees inquire, "What is she doing now?" And, they reminded me, a suitable church position may not come up for me for months still. And no, it wouldn't be rude or unchristian to quit my secular job to follow my dream when one does.

I see. Working on my house (sometimes) and in the garden does not give them a high opinion of my industry. Nor, I suppose, do part time pulpit supply, sending out resumes, and hoping people look at the ads on my blogs cut it for them as great ways to support myself.

Well, I've got this application for a manager trainee position at a grocery store chair, and they're paying more than I've ever made in my life. And I suppose if I'm hungry enough I'll make myself get up in time to open the store and receive shipments and all by 5:00 AM . . .

But I've got a couple of architects to bother as well. If anybody's building anything in this blinking economic climate!