Well, phew. That's it, just p.h.e.w.
The worship and creative arts team are working hard to keep worship going. They pour their creative hearts into all of it and I know you can tell. I've kept you up on all that amazing work.
Our diligent Executive Director is working night and day to keep us away from the fray. He is here so much that sometimes I can't tell if he is coming or going, oftentimes I think it might be both. Looking for a miracle? Here's one-Somehow, he maintains his patience in all that he is doing and learning. I don't know how that could be possible for anyone with the hand he has been dealt. Not only is he juggling some of the outreach threads hanging, virtually attending church groups he is involved with, but he is also learning a new job that involves big deal pieces of this church's pie. Finance and Staff. On a good day, I'd suggest we pause for a moment of prayerful silence on this. On these panda- days, I suggest we put our hands together and pray loud and long that our new Executive Director keeps taking his multi-vitamins. We are lucky to have him on board. I am thankful that he keeps coming back every day with his sense of humor in his back pocket. amen.
My boss and several other tech savvy staff are trying to keep the lectionary afloat. My part in that is very very minute. I mostly send and delete and send and apologize and send and delete. It's essential, right? Not everyone can keep up that pattern week in and out.
Maybe you are wondering what the phew is about. Well, it's this-
The above hard work takes care of the really important parts of this church.
But what about the little things? The smaller routines?
I print out the front desk calendar for the week. Can you say wide open spaces?
Sitting alone in the parlor is not nearly as fun on Prayer Shawl Wednesdays. knitting in the dark (since we have that part of the building shut down) is a real challenge. I drop so many stitches and can't half read the directions.
I pull out the sign -in for Grand Age and speak at the podium on Thursdays, but lunch is the worst. We never have what I like anymore, we don't have anything because there are no leftovers from Wednesday night dinners because we don't have Wednesday night dinners right now. Honestly, ugh. I've played Bingo with my own self and I still haven't won, but I'll keep at it. At home, I've taken to watching ONLY old movies on You Tube in honor of said group. I miss friends who attend weekly. I'm afraid I've taken the grand out of the grand age for now.
Wednesday night dinners are now taking place at my house with only me in attendance, and I actually have dinner at lunch most days, and I eat my lunch at 10:30, so that's how that goes, going gone. I thought setting up the tables in the fellowship hall might be comforting to me and seeing those up is comforting but boy does my back scream about that set up and take down. I pretend the caterer forgot, and the people who signed up got the day mixed up, til the next Wednesday, and darn if that same thing doesn't happen again!
Wed night programs- this has been the hardest thing to keep going in a ghost churchtown. After the first attempt at empty Wednesday night programming, I decided we'd have joint programming. Good idea, church chick. Running up and down the stairs to every different class going on in this building was too much. I'm aged. old. older than weeks ago, older than this morning, and so much older than 5 minutes ago- just writing this is tiring. forgive me.
So on Wednesday nights, I sing a few songs with the kids who aren't here, and read a bit out loud from the Upper Room magazines that are now outdated, to the friends and others who aren't here, then I wait for feedback and open the floor for questions. Sometimes I run to the back of the room and ask myself a question, then go back to the front and answer it.
I'll be glad when live people are in this building again. My job will shift as we re-enter the atmosphere, and I will be thrilled to turn over these temporary duties to others again. phew.
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