Retreat

As a church planter I have to stay organized. Our missional understanding of being rooted in the place where we do ministry means that I am part of lots of groups and organizations. As part of our work to create a network of people to build up the kindom of God I volunteer and show up at neighborhood association meetings, the local schools, places that serve the homeless, and more.  The trick to being present at church, at the faith community, and in the neighborhood is to keep a list going of all that things I need to be doing.  And this is sometimes overwhelming.

Do you ever have tasks on your list, be it a mental one or a color coded excel spreadsheet list like mine, that just sit and sit and sit?  They might be tasks that are important, but not urgent.  Or they might be things it would be good to do one day when there is extra time.

Since October finishing our Parish website has been on my list. 6 months ago I taught myself how to use the software for our website. In two weeks I had put up the bare bones of something for the Parish, with the plan that before long I’d fill it out with a bunch more written content.  Then Advent started and Lent came along and website sat on my list.

It began to feel oppressive.  Every time I deleted a completed task I’d scroll past website.  I knew I had to get it done, but when I tried to work on it something else more important always came up, such as a parishioner coming in to the office for a chat or on one occasion when I was working at home, a nap!

My view

I knew I needed to do something to create a space for myself to be able to be creative, to write a bunch of content, and really focus on the website.  So my husband Jeff and I decided to rent a place at the coast for a few days for a work retreat.  I’m writing this blog sittingon the balcony watching people walk along the ocean.

Over almost 48 hours we’ll each work on big tasks ahead of us, he on planning his summer program, L.A.S.T, and me on one of my favorite things, writing.  Once I’m done with the website I have two weddings and a baptism to write!

Being in a ministry of place sometimes means getting out of that place to create, to write, and to work on things that take great focus.

-Eilidh