On Thursday morning we met up as a team, for the final time, until Saturday afternoon.
Things were about to get real busy – and quick.
Friday means a chaotic day for most of the team. It means running high school assemblies multiple times over, a retirement home chapel service, and helping out with the three kids clubs that Oak Flats church runs from 3:30pm to 9:30pm.
So what was about Thursday? The calm before the storm hits, which meant most prep work, a Christian Religious Education Assembly at Jamberoo, and a training session run by Jodie and Many McNeil on surviving in Ministry for the long term.
One of the highlights of Thursday was Jodie and Mandy running a special night for the team regarding their reflections on ministry so far. Primarily, it was focused around how we can do sustainable ministry in the long term. Jodie and Mandy were open and honest about their failures and their struggles, which isn’t the kind of thing you think of after you’ve hung out with them only after a few days or so. But with their own vulnerability, came some really helpful insights.
One of the biggest things that I got from the night, was being self-aware of what tires us out and what is draining. Jodie and Mandy both kept on making the distinction between these two activities, that a tiring activity is the stuff we enjoy but do a lot. Whereas a draining activity, are the out of the comfort zone activities. When we’re being drained significantly, without the chance to rest, is where problems and cracks start to deepen. Their reflections on their failures, how that drained them and the strain it causes at the time, made me realise again the weight of doing ministry in the long term. Long term ministry – that really struck home for me – sure, there are times when short term ministry is the right decision, and there are times when we should opt out. But a life long ministry is the goal.
And when you get a free book? Hey, what a night!
