Told you a couple of posts ago about my church administrator. Found out while at Annual Conference that when people ask her about my status in the conference, she is telling them that I am "just licensed to preach". I smiled and corrected them, but inside I was furious for several different reasons.
First, no one is "just" licensed to preach. It requires jumping through several hoops in most cased to become licensed to preach in the United Methodist system. At the very least it requires attending a license to preach two week seminar, not to mention being called by God, etc. And this is very demeaning to the hard work that local pastors are doing to cover churches across the United States and world, to say that they are "just" anything.
Second, it demeans the Senior Pastor and suggests that she left the church in less than capable hands.
Third, it discounts the tremendous time and energy that I have put into becoming a Provisional Elder in the UMC. As I enter my 2nd year of Residency, I know that I could be discontinued or delayed for years to come. I pray that it doesn't happen, but for this woman to say that I am "just" anything or for that matter that anyone is "just" anything is upsetting.
I process events in my lift by writing. It helps me find the right words to say when I have a "come to Jesus meeting" with this woman. So part of this is a rant, because I need to rant. Part of this is so that later I don't think, "I should have said this or I should have said that". Feel free to give me suggestions, because frankly I just want to scream.
1 comment:
Just now catching up. Sounds like you've had a rough time lately. Holding you in my prayers and encouraging you to get that much needed rest.
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