So my first task is to wind down some of my activities. So I have done the following.
- I resigned from my job as a lighting operator, when we moved to the new facility. I had been only doing lights one service per month and then filling in as a backup operator a couple of more times per month, but it was hard to get a full weekend off.
- I also resigned from the position of coordinating the recording mix team at church. That team would provide an audio recording of the service, with a special sound board so we could cut down the volume of the stage singers and raise the volume of the congregation during worship songs.
Anyhow, I was only operating the system on a 5th Sunday, which only happens about once every 3 months. But I was still on the hook for backup operator, which was happening about once a month.
Put that together with item 1 and you see no Sunday's off. So I dropped off that team also when we moved. As a result, they decided to move into the 21st Century and video the whole service. That requires more technical people and a whole new team. - I have also resigned as Leadership Team Coordinator for our Stephen Ministry group. In this position, I only had to preside at a team meeting about once per month. I tried to hold the meetings once every other month, but that was rarely possible. Something always came up.
So I identified a couple of people who were passionate about Stephen Ministry and did not have any other volunteer commitments. Once they were established, I felt it easy to step aside. - I am bringing my term as Board Chairman at His Hands Free Medical Clinic to a close at the end of this month. This is due to term limits. We have a policy of 6 years and out. This brings my board time to 6 years. They offered to change the rules and make an exception for me, but I declined.
I don't feel that it's healthy for a organizational leader to stay on too long. I was there for a purpose. God put me there to do two things: a.) put them on a sound financial management basis, and b.) manage the transition to the new, larger facility. Both of those were accomplished. The new leader is exceptionally qualified and has great skills in fundraising, which I consider to be a weakness of mine. They will do well. - I still have until May 2014 to serve as Deacon Board Chairman. I still have all of the additional tasks listed in the prior post. So this keeps me real busy. My role here is to put the whole organization on a sound business basis. That starts with putting financial management controls in place. It is really about managing the transition from a "large bible study" organization to a "mega-church" organization. Change is tough.
- I still serve as bookkeeper for the Serve The City coalition. This takes about one afternoon per week and about another afternoon per week of depositing checks, etc. I don't see any end to this now, but I am refusing all the extra tasks that I can.
I seem to be following the Halftime advice of reviewing what you are doing and rating each activity on impact and commitment [and passion and God's direction.] So I cut the items that had low impact, commitment, and passion (No's 1, 2, and 3.) Number 4 is term limits and God's direction. I am keeping number 5 because of commitment and God's direction.
Looking forward, I have begun to seriously keep a journal. I started this a couple of years ago, but have not been very active until this November. I started following the advice found in the book The War of Art, where it says to write Morning Minutes, 750 words. I used a Pomodoro app to time-box this in 25 minutes every morning. I learned that I really like to write.
I am now up to 1,200 words per day, doing 2 pomodoro time slots. This could someday lead to a career in writing, God willing.
