Just Ask

In the congregation I serve, from one point of view there is just barely "critical mass." What I mean is that there seems to be a small number of those who are interested in having leadership for an event or a committee. Could be that's what goes on in most worshiping communities. A relatively small number of folk are more vocal, and so they are seen as the most willing individuals. That's how the pastor might tend to interpret the phenomenon.

But what was it that brought those people to that point within the community? I suppose it was a simple "ask" that someone made at some point, perhaps even several years ago. Pretty soon that one person, whether they consider it a gift of theirs or not, finds him or herself in a position of leadership. The community has made an assumption. This is done so the emotional system can efficiently move through the months and years without much thoughtfulness or purposefulness. The togetherness force is powerful. Ultimately the togetherness force (if unchecked) allows people to be non-individual, which implies that those non-individuals are also non-responsible. After a few times around the block, the non-individual is struggling with a sense of emptiness or even frustration. This can be translated in spiritual terms as well.

Just ask. I was contacted by a member of the community who is directing a community thanksgiving meal again this year. A great ministry. This will be the third annual meal for anyone who wants to come. All the food is donated, and there are more volunteers than the facility will hold. It's ecumenical; each church has responsibility for certain parts of the meal. We have sweet potatoes.

There are two gals at church who are usually first to do the organizing of our congregation around this ministry, but they both have other things to do with family, health-related. So I started looking down a list of church members, and as my finger traveled south on the paper, I came across a few possibilities, and then one who I thought would be just right for this job, of coordinating the sweet potatoes. She called back the next day and said, "I think I can do that. I'll make a few calls."

Just ask. This is encouraging, not because I was smart to think of her. Not either because I didn't have to do the organizing. But because there is a new leader, even for a moment, one who will define her temporary task in her own way.

Sometimes individuals like being asked. In their response, at least from the perspective of the church, they move from non-individual and non-responsible to individual and responsible.