Process Takes Time
Process is defined as a series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end. That sounds right. But the experience can be quite different. No one can tell you how long it will take to reach that end or goal. When you engage in the work of process you are making an open-ended commitment to see the issue through to its conclusion. Some processes are fast and fun, and others slow and challenging. Either way, when the work of process is done well, the rewards are worth the effort.
In my August column I made reference to the work of Process when building relationships. We do not instantly know or understand each other in a minute or two without taking a lot of little steps together. Some steps are easy, like saying “Hi.” Some are more difficult, like saying you’re “sorry” to someone. Walking together and building friendships takes time. Becoming connected to the church community takes time and is a process that depends upon the making of friends. It’s an essential part of the spiritual journey.
The work of the church is typically organized by committees. It takes many committees and lots of people volunteering to make all of the things that happen at church a reality. Tom Berg used to say “Who do you think does all this work? Little Elves?” Well the answer is; We do the work and we seem to do it quite well. You see it’s part of each person’s own ministry to find what fills them and participate in the life of the church. All of us contributing to the common good through individual efforts of our time and energy to make the UUCV a vibrant, living, breathing place of spiritual discovery. We are an amazing church!
There is a song titled; “I’m a Unitarian” by Grace Lewis-McLaren, 1987, that follows an old Hungarian tune. We have sung it at campouts and “Open Mic Nights.” It is a musical satire of sorts on UUs, with one particular line reading; “Policies I do espouse, resolutions pending. But committees are my pride, meetings without endings.” UUs have a reputation for long meetings. When it comes to committee work, process, can test one’s character. Yet the rewards of those efforts are certain to include deepening of relationships and building friendships with those who served with you on the committee.
Working together is a process. Each day we get a little further along in our goals. Yet isn’t the purpose of committee work to get things done? Certainly there are plans to make, tasks to complete. And they will get done, but please, do not let getting the work done, get in the way of how we go about doing that work together. It is easy to understand how some folks avoid committee work. I hope that you don’t. You may have tried it before and didn’t enjoy the experience, but you are needed. Your help, your talent, your time, is needed and wanted.
You do not have to join a committee in order to help achieve the goals that a committee is tasked. Religious Education has a committee but what they need most are volunteers for classroom teaching. B&G has a committee but what they need most is to have volunteers come out once a month and spend a few hours caring for our church facility. The Social Action has lots of ways for you to get involved to promote the common good and build a better world. The Kitchen Committee, Pastoral Caring Committee, and many others need your help to not only make those activities what they are but to share the load in the friendship of building a loving community. They all need willing hands and hearts. Please reach out to what interests you. That’s a process of discovery and it’s worthy of your time and effort.