Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Jan Asked


... "How was your day?"

I started the day with a walk. Always good.

I met the secretary. She is cool... high energy, new to church work, has never worked with a pastor before, so I told her we will learn everything together.

I met the pre-school director, ever so briefly. She was wearing adorably crisp three-quarter length summer trousers, and has spiky hair. We will sit down soon.

I met the treasurer, and both the maintenance man and the sexton (not sure how the jobs are divided up). Everyone was eager to chat, in some cases to put in a word for this or that position on a slightly contentious issue. (Issue #1: There is a "Staff Only" bathroom, which I find a bit embarrassing. I mean, really? Do we need to cling to our privilege even unto the john? Anyway, things have gotten a bit lax, what with the Senior's Group preferring a bathroom on the same level as the room where they meet, and so... don't I think we should put a lock on that door, so that just the staff can use it? "Uh, nah, it's ok, I mean... nah." What a gospel witness was there.)

I did my bulletin for Sunday. I was warned, double warned and triple warned that "people are pretty particular about Communion." A real decency and order crowd exists, evidently. Shoot. And I was going to try the Fries and Coke communion this month.

I started to empty my 16 gazillion cartons of books into my shelves. As I looked at my titles, I thought, A), "How I've missed you my darlings!" (they've been cooling their heels in my hallway, rendering the front door nearly impassable); and B), "I am so liberal someone is going to literally have a stroke reading my titles!" To wit: "The Muslim Jesus." "God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality." "Sexuality and the Sacred." "The Five Books of Miriam." I might be too liberal for me.

I changed the message on the church answering machine (actually, the secretary did that, I just wrote up the copy).

I ate the healthy lunch I packed for myself.

I called all the people I hope will be on my installation commission, and they ALL SAID YES!

I also called my accountant to tell him, Hallelujah, I'm working, what taxes do I pay this month?

I raced off to a Presbytery committee meeting.

I got home approximately 12 hours from the time I left. I'm spent. But I'm so, so excited.

10 comments:

more cows than people said...

Yes!!!

I'm going to try to embrace my day tomorrow (late in this call) as you are embraced yours today (early in your call). Try...

such giddyness is evident in you. so happy for you.

Rev SS said...

LOL ... especially when I read "I might be too liberal for me" and "...fries and coke communion.." you're my kind of pastor! Seriously, I too, am so happy for you.

LittleMary said...

i'm just so happy for you that i'm a little bit jealous! i can just see you putting your books up. love it.

johnieb said...

I need to loan you my copy of Jane Schaberg's *The Illegitimacy of Jesus* until ya can get yer own; that oughta do it.

Magdalene6127 said...

Um, Johnnieb, got it.

Like I said....

Suzer said...

Mags -- how wonderful! So happy for you. :)

And yes, open the "staff" restroom to all.

Gannet Girl said...

It sounds really, really wonderful!

Diane M. Roth said...

oh, this sounds so exciting!

johnieb said...

Good to go, then. :-) There's a twentieth anniversary edition out with some material on its reception that sounds interesting.

Iris said...

I am so happy for you, Mags!