Calling it Off
It’s the hardest thing to do. If I could go back to Candler School of Theology (my seminary at Emory University in Atlanta where I received my MDIV in 2010) and have them structure a class it would be “When to Cancel Church 101.” I’ve been here 7.5 months and it’s needed to happen on 3 occasions (the first not actually being church but being a Trunk-or-Treat on Halloween when the weather, earlier in the day, seemed precarious). Last time we canceled church, it was the second Sunday in Advent and Craig and I both had the stomach bug, but I was going to power through and then I received a phone call from my PPRC chair suggesting we cancel and letting me know several others also thought so. I would’ve fought. I would’ve fought tooth-and-nail to not cancel church. Come Hell or high water, we’ll have church! However, I was on my deathbed and she offered to spread the news and I was nothing but thankful. Today I woke up to chaos…..
When I woke up it was 6:00. I was scheduled to teach a UMW Mission U study on the Roma of Europe nearly 2 hours away in McKenzie. I knew that the only bad weather was in my area and that everyone wanting to attend the event would be just fine in their traveling but me……well, it was bad.
We got ice and snow and mess earlier in the week. The average temperature has been in the mid 20’s. All of that stuff has stuck around here. So, the 1.5 inches of snow that fell last night on top of the ice on roads that had been salted but were no better because salt does nothing when it’s freezing, just didn’t help. I still got ready — I’m stubborn like that. I was going to be a trooper and just see if it appeared that things were better heading out of town, but they weren’t. I turned around in a neighborhood, unable to see where the roads ended and yards began. I stopped and made some phone calls canceling (postponing) the event knowing that others would be scratching their heads wondering why.
I came home and crashed on the couch for a little while, while the boys slept on, watching whatever I could find on TV and watching the snow continue to fall outside, lamenting the need to cancel the event and hoping I’d made the best choice. Then I got a phone call about church.
I didn’t know what to do. The reality is that whatever choice I make, someone won’t be happy and I like it best when folks are happy (right? RIGHT? Sigh*). That’s just how it is and just how it works. I remember people being thrilled and disappointed in October when I canceled the Trunk-or-Treat. I remember feeling bad about it for a few days. It cleared up pretty well. We probably could’ve made it happen but I had to make the call.
I called around. I called my PPRC chair. I called a trustee. I called my music leader. I called a few others. I knew a few others had already been talking about it. I made the call…….
It was SUCH a HARD call to make! The week I’ve had has testified to it’s difficulty. I struggled and raced around getting everything finished and ready for Sunday morning and Sunday evening. Everything was actually in place but I was exhausted. I was proud of myself. I organized things perfectly for the UMW event. I didn’t WANT to call anything off! I was ready! I’d worked hard! I was out-of-breath and dreading feeling like someone would be disappointed in the “call.”
I don’t know that anyone WILL be. I almost hope I don’t know. I digest those things and they hang around for awhile.
As I look out the window now, the roads have cleared throughout the day. The sun that wasn’t supposed to come out (said the weather-person I’ll never listen to again) shined long enough to clear off the church steps. Though there are inches of snow and ice on the sidewalks still, I can’t help but think we would’ve made it work and that even if two came, the Spirit would show.
It’s hard. I care about people’s safety. I care about giving God glory with the hard work. I care. It’s my job. It’s my calling. I just wish I felt better about this call in my call.
This is a tough one, this call. What do YOU do?
