Just realized that I haven’t been posting Random Thoughts for some time.
Also realized that “Ministerium” is a German term after a Google search (I’m so dependent on Google nowadays!) Anyway, the meeting today was meant for all the ordained pastors of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia (just in case you asked)
I strongly felt that we need to meet more frequently and really get into matters that matter 🙂 In general, I felt we had a fruitful meeting.
I’m glad we managed to get the rough cut of “The Calling” VCD (which is part of our project to encourage more to consider pastoral ministry) out for the meeting today. Lots of rough edges, probably need to scrap my narration and switch it with a female voice, but I think it raised some interest and awareness of what we’ve been doing so far.
The curry was GOOD!
I managed to personally share an idea with another pastor and I could feel some “resonation” from him on the matter of starting a kind of “what’s your educational efforts” conversation going probably in September or October. It was first sparked in the education committee meeting, then I shared it with a network of pastors I’m part of, and now one to one. Change is a long term project.
I noticed again and again the strength and gift of administration in one of our pastors and this is exactly what we need as we transition with a new set of leaders for the denomination as a whole. How can we complement each other as pastors within the denomination? (especially when one “sees” our small denomination as a network of congregations rather than a rigid institution!)
Of course, we as pastors need to learn this right at the grass root level even in our own congregation. For this, I’m thankful especially to BLC who’s been my teacher (and many more of course).
There’s that tension … on one hand a need for “freedom”, “creativity”, “permission-giving”, “decentralization”, etc. and the on the other hand, a need for “order”, “clarity”, “unity”, “alignment”, “connection” etc, it’s quite a challenge.
Living in past glory won’t help anyone, we need to “learn” and move on. Jumping into the future with no thought will lead us no where, we need to “pause” and reflect and listen to one another. And all this applies directly in our spiritual development first and foremost. And them, flows into the “space” in which we serve in.
“The Butterfly Effect” … I’ve been thinking about this lately. And maybe I’ll catch the movie , but the idea of “Change one thing, change everything” may give us some hope when it comes to our overall church life. And it also gives us some caution as well. I guess, I’ve seen “small changes” work both ways … to help or to harm, for good or for evil.
