Hi! Just popping in...I'm sure we're all insanely busy with the Christmas season. I just attended my second party last night (women's Chrismas tea at church), and it's only December 5th! Not to mention the kids' Christmas play, which opens in less than 2 weeks!!
Been reading Deanna's blog lately, and reading what she's been saying about staff relationships, and it is SO TRUE!! In fact, that is the one area where I'm really having a hard time here at my new church. I love everything about where I am, but I'm just not feeling like we're cohesive as a staff. I realize that this will take time - the last YP and CP were here for 5-6 years, and they were all really close. Now, we're a brand new staff, and SP has to get used to having new people in these offices, and we all have to get used to each other and how we work.
I guess, though, in my last church - as horrible as it was in some ways - our last staff clicked instantly. There was something special that I don't think we'll ever be able to touch again. You may be saying, "But didn't you work with your best friend in your last church?" Yes, I did. But we weren't best friends when we started working together. We had gotten to know each other a little bit outside of church, and she mentioned that her SP was looking for someone to run the children's ministry...she introduced us, and the rest is history! So the thing is, all six of us (the pastors and our spouses) just "worked." And it was almost instantaneous. We still get together regularly - in fact, we're spending Christmas with her and her husband this year!
I was not expecting that same degree of closeness as a staff here...it would be impossible and wrong for me to be as close of friends with the YP here, since he's, well, a "he." I was just hoping for good working relationships. And maybe they'll happen eventually (I have only been here three months, lol!). Or maybe we'll get a new YP.
Or maybe the magic will happen this Friday at our staff/deacon party...we're going out for tapinyaki (I probably slaughtered the spelling, but it's a Japanese style of cooking where they cook the food in front of you and throw around their utensils!) and then dessert and fellowship at someone's house.
You are right, it might just take time. Give it a fair amount of time. If not, and you really love the SP and it clicks with you, pray that a change will happen with the YP. The main thing is that you can work with the SP but I understand your frustration with the other. When you have a bad apple, it hurts the whole team. Trust me, I've been through it, as you know................................................I could go on ad nauseum, but I won't.
I look forward to the day when we can say we have staff. Right now its me. And I've got so much on my plate but I thank God for all the favor He's shown us. It's me making the calls, seeking donations, picking up the donations, shopping, doing ALL the administrative work - emails, calls, letters, phone calls.
We have a 100% increase in participants for our Christmas event this year which is really wild! God spoke exposure and man He was not kidding!
I thank God that we have the space to accomdate all these people!
Some lovely saints from other ministries are volunteering the day of the event and we really could not do it without them. So we have a strategic meeting planning to work out day of event details.
Next year, I know God will have certainly sent help and staff by then. Until then, I work my full-time job and ministry job and try and get rest in between. I'm excited and tired all at the same time! LOL!
I'll be able to share staff stories too one day! *sniff*
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