Wednesday, June 3, 2009
OK. Sometimes I am a bit odd
So, last night a session member asked me to tell session where I was going on vacation. There was some confusion about where I was last week. The session member thought I was in North Carolina and others told her I had been to England. I don't consider it any of their business where I go or what I do on vacation. Am I off base here?
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6 comments:
Here's what I think. I think you have a right to keep your vacation plans private, but you need to be consistent about that. What is not ok is to tell some and not others... that creates a kind of "friends of pastor" clique situation. So, if some knew where you were going, does that mean you were comfortable telling some but not others? Or telling individuals but not the session? I just think it needs to be consistent. IMHO.
Sounds like it was wonderful, btw!
It occurs you might have told people outside the church but not inside... and then word got "in" (as opposed to the word getting out!). So... again, I just think it's about consistency.
Thanks, you make some good points. I don't mind telling individuals when they ask. I never volunteer the information, but I'll answer anyone who is curious. I just am uncomfortable with the session requiring that I tell them where I am going.
Could it be a friendly "Ooh...you have such wonderful travels, let us live vicariously through you and tell where you are off to/just came from?"
I usually casually mention it to session, but once I had a "staycation" and when I came back a few people asked me where I had gone and I said "Nowhere." and they were really confused. Folks in their economic strata do not stay home if there are still airplanes going to Italy/Hawaii/Costa Rica/China/India.
The attitude was "If you weren't going anywhere good, why didn't you come to church?"
But that just might be St Stoic.
Nope, it was more of a "session needs to know where you are." I always leave someone to cover for me, plus if I think I will be available by phone or email that info. If it were a friendly "I'd love to know where you are going" I'd be OK with that.
I tell the Session members to call me if they have an emergency. I give a brief overview like "going to a preaching conference in Atlanta" and say little else. I tell them I'm glad to see when when I return and I mean it!
People like to feel that they know a bit about us. Give them that bit. You don't have to confide everything or even very much. Mag is on target with "consistency".
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