Last night was the last Deacons-by-any-other-Name Meeting of the year (the June meeting is now firmly established as nosh and natter, a reward for another year of hard work and we get July off for good behaviour) as our AGM is in September and the August meeting will, essentially, be part of 'next year'. That means that in 'churchy-academic' years we have been together for five years (not five calendar years until October). Realising this left me in a slightly reflective frame of mind and pondering what a lot has been shared in that time.
Looking around yesterday, I realised that, of my DbaoNs, only two were part of that Team when I arrived, and of those one is about to step down. There is something healthy about a carefully managed turnover over members of this team - three to six years in a role is long enough to learn what the role involves, make a valuable contribution and then step back to allow others to have a turn. At the same time, there is something important about continuity and corporate memory that means we need to manage transitions carefully. I am very grateful to have one member of the team who has held a number of roles and so never quite managed to escape for a break. Aged from mid-twenties to early seventies, we are a diverse group and that is healthy. We have some good banter, some deep sharing and get through a lot of stuff together.
Five years... and what a lot we have shared! Several new Church Members (ten I think), three Baptisms, seven (I think) new babies, couples entering marriage or CP (all ceremonies elsewhere as it happens), a day reflecting on human sexuality, a deep review of our ministry and mission, two half days devoted to exploring (and deciding about) proposals regarding our premises.
Five years...in which we've had a Christmas sheep trail, a Christingle, a Good Friday labyrinth,several 'messy' Christmas Eve and 'messy' Good Friday events, student welcome teas, Glasgow West End Festival (philosophy cafes, choral communion, Bake-off, beach party, 'public' loos), the Coffee Club, the Theological Reflection Group, the Bible Study group, various Lent courses, Advent reflections, socials, fundraisers (for charities, not ourselves).... and I'm sure loads more I've forgotten.
Of course many of these were already established before my time here, but not all... and it is quite amazing to start trying to make a list even of those I can recall.
Like lots of people in busy and wonderful jobs, I find myself by this time of year wearying and lacking va va voom (and some of that I can legitimately blame on medication). So it is good to pause for a moment and reflect on just how much has been achieved, how much has been shared. If nothing else, it encourages me!
Coming up soon, will be this year's Glasgow West End Festival and soon after that our involvement in More Than Gold 2014... summer is not going to quiet or lazy here!
Five years... goodness me. But a good five years!