On a more positive note
I've finally made some headway in lining up ministers, some of them student ministers, for the remaining gaps in our schedule. Jan. 29 is still up in the air, but there's a possibility that a lay minister from New London, who is also a professor of religious history at the Coast Guard Academy (they teach religious history at the Coast Guard Academy?) *might* be able to come for the 29th. That would be good. I'm highly unmotivated to come up with a service of my own, even building off one of my "pocket" services.
And wow, does the district need to update their website. It worked out for the best, but I ended up contacting someone who is listed as a "pulpit supply" resource, who has left the denomination entirely. I've contacted others who've said they are no longer available, but this is a new level of unavailability. Brilliant. But, he's a recent enough divinity school grad that he was able to point me to the current main contact person for UU divinity students at Harvard, who relayed my plea to another divinity school up in Andover. How many students are going to want to drive down to CT for minimal pay to do a service for us, well, that remains to be seen. And quite a few will be doing internships, so they wouldn't be free anyway. We shall see.
I really, really can't wait to hand this job off to someone else. And I'm afraid I'll get sucked into "No, but you must, we need continuity." Continuity of what? People have been bitching all year about the content and quality of the services we've booked. Why would you want continuity of something you can't stand?
Who knows what next year will look like anyway. It is way, way too late to start a search for a minister for next year. Unless we found someway to get an interim minister, which is really what we desperately need but can in no way afford. We've needed this year with no minister, rough as it's been. But now we need someone specifically trained in how to cope with screwed up congregations in transition. Especially if it turns out we're in transition towards this "five congregations share two ministers" deal that is being considered for 2007-8 at the soonest.
I keep hoping if I type out all these thoughts, my brain will shut up and let me sleep. I'm supposed to be working a double tomorrow: 7-3:30 at the hospital and 4-12 at my main job. Part of me is already hoping they don't need me at the hospital tomorrow, much as I could use a 16hr paycheck from them. Heh, I'd been debating whether I ought to try to go full time at my part time job, rather than deal with all this per diem nonsense. And then I got to watch all my coworkers for the past couple of days going absolutely nuts trying to sort out their health insurance issues. Nope, gotta keep myself under 30 hours at any one place. It may screw up the taxes, hopefully not as badly as last year, but at least it leaves me covered by Patsfan's much better insurance.
I really need to go to bed.
And wow, does the district need to update their website. It worked out for the best, but I ended up contacting someone who is listed as a "pulpit supply" resource, who has left the denomination entirely. I've contacted others who've said they are no longer available, but this is a new level of unavailability. Brilliant. But, he's a recent enough divinity school grad that he was able to point me to the current main contact person for UU divinity students at Harvard, who relayed my plea to another divinity school up in Andover. How many students are going to want to drive down to CT for minimal pay to do a service for us, well, that remains to be seen. And quite a few will be doing internships, so they wouldn't be free anyway. We shall see.
I really, really can't wait to hand this job off to someone else. And I'm afraid I'll get sucked into "No, but you must, we need continuity." Continuity of what? People have been bitching all year about the content and quality of the services we've booked. Why would you want continuity of something you can't stand?
Who knows what next year will look like anyway. It is way, way too late to start a search for a minister for next year. Unless we found someway to get an interim minister, which is really what we desperately need but can in no way afford. We've needed this year with no minister, rough as it's been. But now we need someone specifically trained in how to cope with screwed up congregations in transition. Especially if it turns out we're in transition towards this "five congregations share two ministers" deal that is being considered for 2007-8 at the soonest.
I keep hoping if I type out all these thoughts, my brain will shut up and let me sleep. I'm supposed to be working a double tomorrow: 7-3:30 at the hospital and 4-12 at my main job. Part of me is already hoping they don't need me at the hospital tomorrow, much as I could use a 16hr paycheck from them. Heh, I'd been debating whether I ought to try to go full time at my part time job, rather than deal with all this per diem nonsense. And then I got to watch all my coworkers for the past couple of days going absolutely nuts trying to sort out their health insurance issues. Nope, gotta keep myself under 30 hours at any one place. It may screw up the taxes, hopefully not as badly as last year, but at least it leaves me covered by Patsfan's much better insurance.
I really need to go to bed.