Off to Manchester tomorrow.  Am I really nearly one third of the way through this research degree?  That's well scary!

So, it is presentations time - published or publishable articles and conference papers to be shared with our peers.  Not feeling overly confident about mine - it has moved around quite a lot in the drafting and still needs a lot of work to be something I'm happy with.  So... an early drive up the road so that I can get some library time in ahead of kickoff... including another foray into the wonder that is BQ,

I'm looking forward to hearing what other people have been doing, to catching up with colleagues and seeing some friends whilst I'm up there.  Plus a rare and precious non-preaching Sunday...

Back all too soon!!

A week on Sunday my congregation has our 'Vision Day Part Deux' or something to that general effect anyway.  So this morning I am trying to put together the outline for the day and becoming all too conscious of the gap between nice 'Church Health' or 'Congregational Studies' theory and how-to books and the reality of trying to do this stuff on the ground with people who don't always get it anyway.  I think this is is a good realisation as I continue the somewhat esoteric process of doctoral research in this general area, because if it isn't ultimately going to be useful then its a waste of everyone's time and energy.  Although maybe you can only determine usefulness retrospectively (discuss!).  In the end what we get will have to be tailored to our needs, our context, our time frame, our reality - and I hope it works effectively.

One of the challenges is the reality check this congregation needs to face and grasp.  We are super duper at creative visioning but also have several honorary doctorates in ostrich impersonations.  One of my challenges is to help people to grasp some very uncomfortable truths and to realise that the answer is not 'the Lord will provide' announced in a pious voice accompanied by a face that says 'begone thou faithless minister thou.' 

My aim - and it's a pretty impressive one - is to get some concrete actions, some 'SMART' objectives with names, dates and deliverables identified by the end of the day.  We don't have the time - and I don't have the energy - for yet another round of 'someone needs to think about something' whilst we all grow a year older, a lot more tired and our ability, irrespective of our desire, to fulfil our dreams evaporates.

I am, to say the least, apprehensive about the event.  The reality check is not pleasant to face, and the consequences, whichever path we opt for, demanding all round.  Sometimes I understand the appeal of being an ostrich.  At times like this God has an irritating habit of once more pointing out to me the prophetic challenge of ministry... reminding me I don't have to be liked, and may not be heard, but I do have to speak.  It's so much nicer keeping it all theoretical!!!