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6 ways to get better at leaving work for vacation
I am really bad at vacation. It isn’t fun for me to take. I have trouble leaving work behind. There are several reasons for this. I enjoy my work. My work is spiritually and intellectually challenging and I get a lot out of it. I also feel that there is always more to do. And…
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Why I’m Lousy at Vacation
This is what I discovered this summer. I really am lousy at vacation. I knew I was bad at it. I just didn’t know I was this bad. I don’t like the time away. I don’t like the extra burden before I go and after I return. I have trouble disconnecting my brain from my…
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Is there a true leader?
The first question a powerful nation must ask before going to war with another; before attempting to overthrow the leader of a sovereign nation is this: is there a truly reconciling native leader? History is full of failed leaders and failed states. Nelson Mandela and George Washington are the exceptions that prove the rule. So…
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Don’t Learn the Wrong Lesson From Capt. Kirk
[NOTE: this post is spoiler-free! And long overdue, since I saw it in May…] Something troubled me about the new Star Trek. I loved the movie. I was glad that it surpassed my expectations and that it challenged me. What troubled me is that I’m convinced that people will mistake James T. Kirk for a…
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You Are the Servant Leader
“You’re the pastor” This is the gentle reminder many clergy receive: as if we’ve forgotten. It usually happens when we’ve invited our people into sharing leadership of a ministry. We say “you can do this” and they say “but you’re the pastor”. And for those of us that wear the dog collar, we get reminded…
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Expectations: of Leaders in Church
I marvel at how low the expectations are for leaders in The Episcopal Church in their commitment to a life of faith. I also marvel at how many hoops we ask of those moved by their faith. To stand for vestry (our congregational boards), you have to show up for church a few times a…
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Build Systems or Leaders?
Which is more important: the system or the leader? Since arriving at St. Paul’s, which is a pastoral-sized congregation*, I’ve figured out that much of the structure of the church is based on specific leaders doing specific tasks, rather than systems. I’m not sure how to feel about this. *[a pastoral-sized congregation is what many…