Informant 5

February 28, 2016

With my daughter at my parent’s house and my wife out of town, it makes for a very quiet Sunday morning, which is very good for me. This gives me time to relax, clear my head, and prepare to deliver my sermon that morning at Church. I take my time in the morning; get my coffee, grab a bite to eat and then load up my car to head off to church. I usually like to be there by 9 AM for our 10:30 AM service.

I am always glad to get to church and see so many people that I love and who pour into this faith community. Sure, there are always challenges and challenging people, but the majority of people I run into on Sunday are genuine, life-giving individuals. It’s hard not to feel in debt to them because so many of them do so much for the church… they set up and tear down equipment, greet, bring food, take up offering, play music, watch children, etc. It is a community that I am truly grateful to be a part of.

Our attendance has been a little down in the past two weeks, which is odd this time of year. I am hoping to have a larger crowd this week, and hopefully that will provide some extra energy in the room as well. Church should certainly not be boiled down to how many people attend your Sunday morning services, but it’s hard to not hold that as one measurable.

Turns out attendance was up a bit, but not where I’d like it to be this time of year. But all is good and I was able to deliver my message well and hope it was both encouraging but also challenging for those who were worshipping with us. After the service I stick around to talk to some people. Some conversations are enjoyable, others are difficult. That is just the nature of the job. I nearly always leave Sunday mornings thinking “Who should I have connected with this morning that I didn’t get a chance to talk to?” But that list will always have people on it. I need to be as accessible as I can be, and let it be.

I then head home with L. in tow. I have to pick up J. at the airport at 630 so we will go home for a bit, hopefully catch a nap, take a walk to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather, and then head out.

It was a good, quiet afternoon. L. took a long nap, as she normally does on Sunday’s, and I even got a nap and got to read a little. I feel like I get my sanity back a bit on Sunday afternoons. As much as I love to be around people, it is draining for me. So a quiet afternoon is just what the doctor ordered. We head out for the airport around 5:30. I will be picking J. up, and then she will drop me off to play some basketball with my brother in Indianapolis. I can think of no better way to end a week than getting a little exercise and playing ball with some good friends. My dad comes to the game (he is my ride back to Muncie). It’s good to hang out with him for a bit. We grab some ice cream and head home.

Back at home I get to reconnect with J. after she has been gone for three days. We were both tired, but to got to stay up and talk a bit about our last few days. It’s good to have her back for a number of reasons. One of them is that being a single parent is very, very difficult. I’m tired from a long, but good weekend and I’m ready for some rest!