God fu*king dammit!! Why can't people play by the rules?!!!!

[Critters2]

A candidate for the ministry in my association invited (?) one of the haters to be our church's lay delegate to her ecclesiastical council. When I explained to the aforementioned hater that the church always sends our moderator, or a substitute he chooses, to represent us at councils, she got all pissy and angry. I tried to explain that the candidate made a mistake (I'm being charitable, but more trouble I don't need) when she asked this woman to be our delegate.

But, I'm the baddy again. And a homophobe. Again.

I've emailed the candidate and asked if she might please explain to the woman why it was not appropriate to ask her and why she can't be our delegate. Her explaining it would help. I even allowed, in the e-mail, for the possibility that the hater misunderstood. But I don't think she did.

When people were getting ready to vote on my ordination, I was SOOOO careful to behave appropriately. What the hell is wrong with people? I mean, I COULD vote against her ordination over this if I wanted. I won't, but why would a person take a chance like that?

Would it KILL people to just do what they're supposed to do?!! Thank you for letting me rant.


By way of explanation--an eccelesiastical council is the last step before ordination in the UCC. A candidate, who has received an MDiv and jumped through all the other hoops, presents an ordination paper she's written. It outlines her theology, her understanding of UCC polity and traditions, stuff like that. After her paper is read, all clergy in the association and lay delegates representing the churches are invited to ask questions and vote on the candidate's ordination. It's usually a formality. By the time a candidate gets to council, she's been vetted, tested, analyzed, and scrutinized to death. In 22 years of ministry, I've only voted against an ordination once (longish story, but I wasn't the only "no" vote, and I felt guilty about it for weeks.).

But, no matter how much of a rubber stamp it is, candidates do not get to designate lay delegates to attend. That is the business of each individual church. They used to teach stuff like this in polity class.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Are there any higher-ups you can complain to?

:shrug:

[Critters2]

2. Talked to my ACM. She says there've been other "irregularities" leading up to this council,

and she's dealing with them all. Said she isn't surprised that this has happened. Sounds like the candidate is trying to stack the process. Again, that's odd, because candidates are rarely turned down this late in the process. I need to re-read the ordination paper and see if there's some problem I missed the first time through.

[RevCheesehead]

3. Silly Rabbit...

Rules are for Little People. :eyes:

These are all people with fragile little egos, trying to puff themselves up into something important. But they have to cheat, because deep down, they know they're frauds.

:hug:

[Critters2]

8. Apparently. I can't imagine cheating at this, but then it would somehow blow up in my face.

Life is like that for me. What keeps me from speeding? Cops.

Why do the evil prosper?


Hey! How are you?! I was just thinking about you and Rabrrrrr, and wondered how you both were. Are you working now?

[RevCheesehead]

11. Oh, that's a long story.

So far, I'm still serving my churches... but that may change, and it might change suddenly. Not to launch any bombshells, but I am seriously thinking of leaving ministry altogether. I'm tired of life in the fishbowl or under the microscope, and I just want to be a person.

I'm still waiting to hear from THE Boss on that one.

[54anickel]

4. Wow, I once pondered ordination - sort of glad I opted for the laity track. n/t

[Critters2]

7. Usually this really is just a formality. In fact, my council was funny...

Members of my home church were so proud of having an ordination coming up that they, and others in the association, kept standing up and just fawning over me during the Q&A time. Finally, the ACM stood up and said that the point was supposed to be asking questions about my ordination paper. "Are there any QUESTIONS?", she said. At which point one of the old frauen stood up. "I have a question!" "Great! What's your question?" "Critters, do you know how proud we are of you?"

:rofl: That's usually about as grueling as an ecclesiastical council gets.

[Kire]

5. hello, I think Luke might help

<27> "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, <28> for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

<29> "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

<30> " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

<31> "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "




I used to have, and probably always will have, a problem with tryingn to control people.

Only you can say if that's your problem, but this verse helps me a lot.

let me know what you think

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Let it go, and watch in joy as her first church destroys her.

No need for you to do the nasty dirty work. Go all Zen, and just sit back, and watch.

She likely is going to be utterly chewed up and destroyed by her first church if she has that much attitude.

[Critters2]

9. Schadenfreude. The ethical person's true reward.

Good to see you, btw. I realized the other day that I hadn't seen you around much lately. How are you?

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. Damn right!

I'm well - I was without a computer for the most part for about nine days.

It as actually quite nice, and has inspired me to even more seriously consider shutting off cable and Internet at home, and just using Internet at office and coffee shops.