Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Self Care and ministry

I have issues....
How's that for news! My problem is that I care for people and want to be involved with people. My problem is that this is also my job. I now work in a high school full time and love it. My work is mainly in assisting students, but I find myself engaging with teachers too, which I love, don't get me wrong. The staff are my mates and I appreciate spending time with them.

The problem begins when as a mate I would say look, I'm tired and cannot listen to this right now, but as a job I have certain amount of contact hours I need to have with people. When does caring for your mates and the emotional energy that requires change and take away from your apparent 'clients'. (I hate the word client, but it'll have to do.)

A school is such a highly intense area to be in, particularly when there is a high level of expectation on success and outcomes from staff.

With young staff, going through life stages like marriage, relationships and general growth, dealing with working with students who see them as the enemy, or as close friends, there is a great deal of emotional energy in this place.

From there my job deals with students and the multitude of issues that face young people today, you name the issue and it exists somewhere in the school community.

Most jobs you can switch off and go home from to debrief, or you work with people in the same situation as you and can journey together. For the minister in the school there is a great deal of isolation. You cannot mouth off regarding work mates or invest too much in the politics of the office because that is not part of the ethics of ministry.

For the worker in the school environment there needs to be particular attention to spiritual direction and development, but for the ministry worker in the secular placement it means travel away from the job to debrief and be cared for. Which, for me anyway, means that I feel as though I have not invested my hours in the ministry in the school.

I have read the books and been told continually that if you do not care for yourself you will reduce your ability to care for others. I hear this and agree, but when. Making hours to go and see someone when you are stuffed and want to switch off and be away from people.

I have a number of things built into my life that are for 'me', sport, the gym and Charlie the wonder dog. But quite often these to become aspects of ministry when people dump emotional baggage on you. Unfortunately, the sensitivities of ministry and nature of the ministering person mean that a person in need won't be told to "piss off and leave me alone!!"

So this week, leading up to holidays, coming off a massive event in StateYouthGames and then an outdoor ed camp, the churches 80th anniversary and too much stuff in too little time, I hear Jesus saying push the boat out deeper and sail to the other side.

Trouble is, the boat is leaky and the liquid in the creek is thick and I can't find my paddle!

2 more days till holidays!

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