What a Fib Teaches Us

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Hi Reader,

September in New York. The heat drops; the temperature cools. The leaves are already turning, and the school buses flood our streets with squeaky brakes.

And then it happens: the backlog catches up to you. Or, in this case, me.

I'm a day late sending this newsletter to you.

When school ends in June, I look at September and think it's far away. It's not.

Here's the first fib. September tells you it is a new start. It'not; it's a continuation. The same committee questions, the same half-finished to-do list, the same you, just with a cooler morning and a fresh notebook. The calendar month may reset, but not much else does.

The email about some structural changes we need to make at church is still sitting in my inbox. The new employee handbook is drafted, but needs multiple read-throughs. Our payroll transition is complete, but now we need to add a feature that will change how we ensure we are in compliance with NY State law. I've also been onboarding a new hire into a role that is still taking shape, which means I'm learning it while directing and coaching someone else through it.

This brings me to the second fib. Though this is not the vision I had of ministry when I began 30 years ago, I've come to see that administration is ministry. Administration is not something we do on the way to ministry; it's what empowers and protects the ministry. The handbook, policies and procedures, updating insurance, and others are the scaffolding that helps us build the church, along with prayer and learning the gospel.

In Numbers 11, the outcome of Moses' overwhelming is that he chooses 70 people to help. The outcome of Elijah's overwhelm is that he appoints 3 anointed people and is essentially told by God, "You think you are alone, but there are thousands and thousands waiting to be asked to help. So ask."

That brings me to the third fib, the one I needed most this summer: that being behind is bad, that it means you lack discipline or desire, or that you don't work long enough hours. It's not true. Being behind tells you the truth: that it's time to start looking for others who can be trained to carry more of the ministry load.

That's what we see in leaders like Moses, Elijah, Nehemiah, Paul, and of course, our Lord, Jesus, who not only called 12 but also sent out 70 in groups.

That's my lesson. Life and ministry will stack up quickly. We can use the committee, volunteer, and staff structures to educate, equip, and empower others, so that the work of God becomes the work of many.

Truth is, like you, I'm often behind because there is so much good that's getting done and needs to be done.

I'll try to be on time with the newsletter in a few weeks.

Fibs teach us the truth. How odd.

Have you heard of Story Maps?

As I stated in prior newsletters, I'm writing a course curriculum called Bible Basics: Understanding the One Story in the Two Testaments.

In an effort to visually trace the journey from the Garden to Babel to Abraham's long walk to Egypt and to the Promised Land, I found a free resource at ArcGIS: Story Maps. You can create your own map by searching locations, entering a title and short description, and you can talk your way through the presentation.

I've created my own, which you can see here. It's a work in progress, but too cool of a concept not to share! I'm thinking a tool like this would be great to trace Jesus' ministry, the journeys of Paul, mapping the peoples mentioned at Pentecost, and the 7 Churches in Revelation.

Calls to Worship Many find the Calls to Worship Page very helpful. Sometimes we just need a frame to help. You can go there by clicking the blue link below. ​Go to the liturgy​

Sounds Odd!

An axe head floats. 2 Kings 6. A prophet's cutting wood by the Jordan, the iron flies off the handle and sinks. Elisha tosses in a stick, and the iron floats back up.

I wish that worked when my kid dropped my phone in the pool!

A Benediction from Around the World

May the Lord who blesses and sanctifies keep you and confirm you in every good work. May His mercy rest upon you, now and for ever. Amen. (The West Syriac Tradition)

All my best to you,

Rev. Jason B. Elder