Another week over
Seven days have passed since this blog was started properly. Seven days in which not a lot has happened.
It's been a quiet week. I've only had one email from Janet in Tenerife with work for me to do. She's been away 10 days so that's not bad.
I think I might use this space to have a little rant about rotas. Does it happen everywhere or is it only in Linden that rotas are, almost without exception, a great idea but a complete waste of energy?
First there's the effort involved in creating a rota in the first place. Then there are the reminders that have to be sent out, quickly followed by the urgent phone round to find a replacement for the person who had forgotten and can't do it.
The first two bits could be cut out and we could go straight to the phone round on Friday to find someone who can do welcoming/music/kids work/prison. In fact as it's mostly the same people who are on all the rotas, one phone call could cover everything.
That's probably part of the problem: that people who volunteer volunteer and those who don't don't. So it's a small group that does everything and the pressure is bound to tell.
'Sorry, but I seem to be doing welcoming and prison and kids work on Sunday; could you suggest someone who could do at least one of those for me?'
On the other hand there are a number of people who don't do anything. Don't get me wrong: it's not compulsory or a condition of getting to heaven, but I do wonder why that is.
Enough of your meanderings, Lucy, tell the people what's happening this Sunday.
We have the lovely Ben Brown speaking to us in the morning, followed by Heather's baptism at Caswell, followed by fun, games and a barbecue (I'm told). That all starts at 2 pm.
Our regular Sunday meeting is at 11.00 am prompt.
Next Saturday, 8th July, there's a dance class for adults at Linden from 10.00 am to 12 noon. Lannie is running it in response to popular demand so if you fancy yourself as the next Pan's Person speak to her or go along. If you don't know what a Pan's People is, count yourself blessed. And young.
posted by Linden @ 11:48 AM
6 Comments:
What's this "prompt" word? I understand not...
I'm doing the music on Sunday, so does anyone (Liz? Chris? Ben?!) know what Ben's speaking about? If I can sort this out via the blog whilst at work it'll save me having to remember to ring the Browns' later, which with World Cup football on, is (let's face it) unlikely...
I know who the Pan's People were. Although only from watching things like TOTP2, and other old music 'highlight' shows.
Prompt is the new late. It's the new Linden motto, haven't you heard?
Admittedly I was teaching my parents' church some old kids' songs last Sunday, but the week before that, I'm sure Linden started at its official time of whenever-Chris-or-Alun-manages-to-get-everyone-to-sit-down past 11...
I was once put on a tea rota without ever being asked and the lady who did the rota was very annoyed at me for complaining! I'm not above making tea I cannot carry trays.
I'm glad your rota isn't compulsory.
I'm all for rotas. I accept they aren't totally foolproof and sometimes fail due to oversights and human falibility. The suggested alternative sounds like reactionary hyperbole and would be totally unworkable in most contexts.
Maybe the mote in thy brother's eye could be the beam in thine own?
Could the truth be that the unreal expectaions of the overseers of rotas contributes to the frustration that in turn fuels the desire to speak disparagingly of a perfectly adequate management structure?
Gentle and caring reminders of future commitments is helpful to most participants and deeply appreciated by all.
It sounds to me, cdm, as if you are over-reacting. Either that or you are only too conscious of tremors in the 'perfectly adequate management structure' of which you speak.
It is undeniably weaker since one of our full-time workers abandoned his post to take a relaxing sabbatical.
Maybe you should get some new glasses?
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