Greetings All,
I have been corresponding with Mark Acuff about him attending the meeting this weekend. He has notified me that he is not able to attend but given the busy season of life for many of us I am going to suggest that we meet this Sunday.
Big picture here....I feel we have gone through a very productive "goal setting" phase over the last year, but we now need to talk about how we implement some of the goals deemed most important.
Right now we talk and leave our meetings, but there is no clear connection between what we talk about, perhaps agree upon as important, and what gets done on Sunday. The best we can do is trust that some of what we talk about is having an influence.
I think the majority of what we should be doing is providing Nat with a good sounding board as he thinks through how to lead us in worship. I also agree that there needs to be a lot of trust on our part to speak our hearts and minds and allow Nat to respond as he sees appropriate.
However, when we identify problems or opportunities that simply are not on Nat's radar screen, for whatever reason, we as a "body representing" group, need to find ways to help Nat become an effective chief executor of the best of those ideas as well.
We need to find very loving and genuinely supportive ways to help Nat be more "accountable" to some of the more important ideas that come out of our meetings.
We can do simple things like presenting an agreed upon list of "action items" at the end of meetings, have Mark, Nat's supervisor, become aware of that list so he can be a support, and allow Nat to give us progress reports. The list of action items can periodically go to the elders, via Keith, as well. Brent Clark, as the pastor in charge of staff, is also willing to play a positive and loving role in follow up.
I have been very encouraged by the warm and positive response to this desire for more "fellowship" and integration in what we do as a group. God's grace abounds.
Please notify on this blog your intent to come this Sunday. We can meet in the same room as last time.
Thanks
Andrew
