THE TOP 137

I have been trying to rest and relax from time to time during this "in-between week" of my sabbatical. The rainy and cold "spring-like" weather hasn't really helped, so I have tried to get some work done that will help me remember what I experienced on my sabbatical so far.

One of the activities I spent time on was simply sorting through the 145 pages of handwritten notes I have in my Livescribe Notebook and pulling out key items worthy of further reflection.

One exercise I engaged in was making a list of the specific activities that I heard are being done in congregations in the UK and the USA as a result of the efforts of shared ministry teams. In compiling this list I was careful to avoid duplicates, but sometimes similar names used in different places can create the impression that the activities are the same. At the end of this review of my hand-written notes and without listening to the 90 or so hours of recorded meetings and visits I had, I came up with a list of activities I would call the "Top 137."

The activities range from hosting community "tea-times" to offering members a "Foundations in Living God's Love" course to organizing toddler groups to providing trained bereavement visitors. Other activities that shared ministry team members take part in, such as reading lessons in services, preaching, etc. are not on the list.

I was tempted to cut-and-paste the list right here, but I want to save it for later. Besides, it is simply a list of what others are doing because they have developed collaborative ministry teams in their particular parishes, not a checklist of activities every congregation might want to organize.

My point here is simply this: sharing ministry is a way of "being church" that eventually brings about specific activities, not a "program" that churches can simply adopt and carry out.

My sabbatical journey is about 2/3 over now, and I am starting to think more about what comes next, after I return to my pastoral role in the congregation. I have a lot of exciting stories to share, but what excites me most is the idea that if we are willing to allow God's Spirit to move among us and lead us in the months ahead, we will see some incredible results. Some of these might look like they come from the "Top 137" list, but if we allow God to work through us, we will come up with a list all our own.