When It's Time to Get Away
Maxie Dunnam
Mere change energizes me, even when the change means demanding work.
—Maxie Dunnam I was scheduled to get away from the church for two weeks—study leave and vacation. But I was a little uncomfortable as I got in my car. As usual, I was leaving with a few ends not neatly tied up: some committees were in the middle of making important decisions, some people needed visiting in the hospital, and I wasn't sure how well the guest preachers I had lined up would be received. On top of that, some people were not particularly happy with me—not a good situation for a pastor who had been at the church only about a year. One of our part-time staff members was discovered to have cancer, and we had held a prayer service for her healing. Since healing services were something new to our church, some members, who were already questioning how Methodist their new minister was, saw this as the final straw. Even though I felt unsettled, I was determined to get away. I rationalized to myself. Everything will take care of itself. It's tough to get away from the church for vacation, study leave, or retreats. Many pastors feel a twinge of guilt leaving: Is this really going to be best for the church? Many members feel the church runs on three cylinders while we're gone. And if there's any trouble brewing, we're not sure what we'll come back to. Still we know, from experience and from the advice of others, that getting away is absolutely vital. How to do it smoothly, with a minimum of disruption to the church, and productively, with a maximum of refreshment for me, is the question. Here are a few things I've discovered. Periodic Pep Talks
When we're feeling the pressure of daily ministry, we're not inclined to plan a getaway. Or if we have planned one, as ...
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