Today and Tomorrow
The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator is a questionnaire that identifies a person's personality type. Based on Carl Jung's research, the MBPTI identifies eight characteristics found in human personality. These eight characteristics are divided into four sets, and within each set, one characteristic is dominant. According to the MBPTI, the combination of dominant characteristics contributes to a person's personality.
The four sets of characteristics are Introvert/Extrovert, (I/E), Sensing/Intuitive (S/N), Feeling/Thinking (F/T), and Perceiving/Judging (P/J). I've completed the questionnaire twice in my life, once in seminary and once more recently, and both times I scored an INTJ. I'm introverted (I) and intuitive (N), a thinker (T) and a judger (J). Because thinking (T) is my dominant mode in the T/F category, it doesn't mean I don't have feelings. It simply means I tend to make decisions based on logic and reason rather than my feelings.
I find my score interesting, especially as our church prepares to embark on a visioning process. According to Charles Keating, who has written on the relationship between personality type and spiritual development, intuitive (N) personalities like me are more concerned with the future than with the present. We focus on possibilities and the consequences our current actions will have further down the road. We dream of how things could be different or better in the future. We don't focus as much energy on the minutiae of what's happening right now.
That certainly describes me. Getting a vision group together comes naturally to me while reviewing the current By-Laws goes against the grain. People who score on the other side of the sensing/intuitive set sensing types (S) tend to be more attentive to the task at hand and the details of the present moment. They carry a magnifying glass around in their pocket so they can immerse themselves in the fine print of the here and now.
Neither one of these personality types are better than the other, they're just different. And hopefully, complimentary. As Keating writes, in real life, sensing personalities need intuitives if improvement is to occur, to be shown how things might be done differently, and possibly better. At the same time, intuitives need sensers if they are not to trip over their own enthusiasm. Intuitives do not see problems right in front of them. Sensers do not see the larger possibilities of what is happening. Each needs the other.
Of course, Keating's observations are generalizations. But it's helpful to know our basic orientations and tendencies, and to know we can compliment each other. Didn't Paul write something about the foot needing the hand, and the eye needing the ear for the Body of Christ to be complete? Yes, we future-oriented dreamers in the church need you on-the-spot fine tuners, and vice versa. And when we recognize one another, respect one another's gifts, engage one another in open dialogue, share a mutual love for Christ's church, and learn to ride the waves of creative tension that emerge from our dreaming and fine-tuning, then the church can operate in high gear. It's healthy and cared for today, while pursuing new visions and dreams into tomorrow.
God is present in this moment, calling us to notice the details that cry out for attention here and now. God is also calling us into the future, calling us to become people we are not yet. We 'N's and 'S's need each other to discern God's presence right here and up ahead. So let's complete one another, encourage and support one another, and continue to grow together as we live today and move into tomorrow.
Tom
Ever Been Stuck on MoPac?
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DALLAS
4:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. Mon-Friday
9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sat-Sun
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FORT WORTH
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HOUSTON
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon-Fri TX Dot Courtesy Patrol
Mon, Tues, Wed., Sat. Sun -- 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
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SAN ANTONIO
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Faith
"Who made you?"
asked the little book.
The answer, "God." t'was all it took
To satisfy my infant mind ---
But as the years go by I find
A universe, complex and great.
The ancients could not contemplate,
From galaxy to organelle
Without a trace of Heaven or Hell,
Yet hard for me to understand
Without somewhere a Master hand
Whose wise and loving care imparts
Some softness to our human hearts.
There is so much I can not know.
I must have faith. I will it so.
James Edwin Kreisle, MD
VISION PROCESS MAKING PROGRESS
For the past several months, a group of people has been meeting once or twice a month to craft a vision process for our church. This group is not discerning a vision for our church's future or setting priorities for our church's ministry. Rather, it's creating a process by which every member of our church will be given the opportunity to reflect on our church and offer input regarding our church's priorities and future ministry. The plan is to create a number of small reflection groups that will meet in the homes of members who have volunteered to host a group. Each group will reflect on a series of discussion questions with the aid of a facilitator while scribes record the discussions. From these discussions, we hope to generate answers to several basic questions: what do we as a church discern our most important priorities to be, and into which of these priorities do we feel called to invest our own personal time, talents and resources. The plan is to organize the reflection groups in mid-August and to begin meeting in September. The discussion questions will be handed out in advance for you to read and reflect on prior to participating in a reflection group. Please make every effort to participate in this process. The next meeting of the Vision Group is Tuesday, July 16, 7:30 pm, at church. Anyone can come to these open meetings.
THE HONDURAS MISSION PROJECT
The Honduras Mission Project is well underway. Jake Burlinson, Lynne Lemley, Ned Murphey, Allisa Parsley, and Tom VandeStadt will be traveling to Honduras from July 22 to July 29. They'll be traveling to San Jose to work on the housing project, to check on the completion of the medical clinic, and to continue exploring the possibility of water and agricultural projects in San Jose. These projects are supported by the Walker Center for Global Mission in Boston, Massachusetts. The outpouring of support from this church has been phenomenal! Church members and friends, as well as former Peace Corps volunteers, have donated approximately $6,000 to this project. Thank you Frances Alford for organizing the fundraising efforts! Thank you, each and everyone, for supporting this project. The money raised will not only pay for the house we were asked to build, but will allow us to support ongoing and future projects in Honduras should we choose to do so. The July group will bring back a full report from Honduras on these projects. Also, Bill Briggs, Co-Director of the Walker Center For Global Mission in Boston, has offered to visit our church in the Fall to share with us more information about the projects in Honduras. Again, thank you for your support! Please keep Jake, Lynne, Ned, Allisa and Tom in your prayers from July 22-29.
LIFEWORKS UPDATE:
Extended Hours and Clothing/Food Needs
The LifeWorks Day Program for homeless youth continues to meet in the Appel room on Friday afternoons, and the LifeWorks/Congregational Church Oversight Committee has continued to meet once a month. The Oversight Committee consists of Fran Briggs (Chair), Tommie Pinkard, Ben White and Tom VandeStadt from our church, and John Whipple and Steve Bewsey from LifeWorks. So far, the program has been running very smoothly and LifeWorks is very pleased to be back in our building. They have plans to extend their operations to Tuesday afternoons beginning in early July. The Oversight Committee is currently crafting a Memorandum of Understanding between LifeWorks and our church. The Memorandum will be presented to our Board of Trustees for review and approval.
LifeWorks has asked us to continue supporting their work with homeless youth by providing clothing and food for distribution. In particular, undergarments for men and women are needed (especially socks), and pop-top cans of food (soup, chili, fruit and vegetables). Please bring these items in to church on Sunday mornings. Thank you!
SETON COVE PROGRAM
God's Blessing: From Spiritual Gift To Civil Religion
On Thursday, August 1, Tom will be the guest presenter at the Seton Cove Spirituality Center's Tuesday luncheon series on Spirituality and Politics. His topic, "God's Blessing: From Spiritual Gift to Civil Religion", will focus on the phrase. God Bless America. Questions for discussion will include, what does it really mean to be blessed by God? How does the phrase, God Bless America, get used as a cosmic rubber stamp for political ends? Seton Cove is located on 3708 Crawford Ave, right off 38th St. near the hospitals. If you're not doing anything else for lunch that day, stop by. And pick up a Seton Cove program catalogue in our Fellowship Hall.
AUSTIN INTERFAITH PRIDE SERVICE
The second annual Austin Interfaith Pride Service was held at University Baptist Church on Saturday, June 1. Tom and a number of other Congregational Church members participated in this very moving service, which highlighted and supported the spirituality of gays and lesbians in Austin, and memorialized those who died of AIDS during the past year. Sponsors for this service include area Christian churches, Unitarian churches, Jewish Temples and Buddhist Centers. The Interfaith Pride Service Organizers have asked our church to be an official sponsor of this event. At some point in the future, this will be discussed during a congregational meeting and voted upon.
NEW CHURCH DIRECTORIES!!
Pick up the new Church Directory at church on Sunday morning or during office hours (M-F, 9am-1pm). If you cannot make it to church, call us and we'll be happy to send one in the mail to you.
Care and Feeding of Ministers
Tommie Pinkard picked this up at the Annual Meeting. It was presented by John Thomas, President of the U.C.C.
The Ideal Parishioner..
... Helps pastor and congregation be clear about what the pastor's job is, and is not; the pastor is a preacher, a teacher; gathers resources of the congregation to help one another, is a stewardship leader but not a fund raiser, a member of the evangelism team, not the whole team.
.. Helps pastor define his personal time and take days off; creates boundaries, protects the pastor's day off; challenges the "I need to be needed" mentality on the part of the pastor.
.. Greets pastor warmly on Sunday morning and then leaves him/her alone--to focus, to get ready to lead. HE leaves him alone for recover time after worship.
.. Is a source of accurate, helpful intelligence.
.. Advocates time for spiritual enrichment, including a sabbatical, and expects accountability of this time afterwards.
.. Cares about the appearance and upkeep of the pastor's study, and of the church. Helps to keep everything up to date, fresh.
.. Is a partner in nurturing denominational and ecumenical relationships. Knows conference minister.
.. Expects pastor to take a vacation every year and enables this to happen. Understands that the pastor will not come home for emergencies.
.. Lets pastor's family be a family, not more or less.
.. Gives good gifts to the pastor. Pastors don't need a new Bible or plaque. They would like a gift certificate for a bookstore, or a restaurant, concerts, sports, free babysitting. If you want to get him a stole or a new robe, let him pick it out. It is better that he likes what he gets than that he be surprised.
.. Advocates for a decent salary. Supports a standard of living at a median of his community's salaries.
.. Is gracious with shortcomings but doesn't excuse laziness or sloppiness.
.. Knows negativity starts in his bathroom mirror.
.. Prays for the pastor.
YOU'VE MADE IT TO THE MAP
