The phenomenon called “monthly meetings” has always fascinated me. Perhaps they make sense in a professional organization, but I can’t think of a worse model for a volunteer organization (such as a Church). I’d much rather do away with meetings and replace them with continuous on-line conversations – centered around specific tasks.
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I think the late Mike Yaconelli would have said, “This is why it took so long to decide the color of the ‘Jones Memorial carpet'” 🙂
Two points-
First, if you compare this comic with the one above (about having ADD), this all makes so much sense. But, (and this is point #2) some of us need a little more structure and routine. However, if both were combined, monthly meetings with online (and ongoing) dialog, then things would get accomplished, and in a timely manner (can you imagine?). This, however, would take organization, for which we sorely lack.
I think you’re actually creating a false link between “structure & routine” with “monthly meetings.” I fully embrace the first two ideas as absolutely essential for community to develop and thrive, while the latter idea actually gets in the way of developing those two necessary disciplines.
What I’m calling for isn’t an end to structure and routine – I’m calling for a shift in those things. I’ve been her seven years, and I can’t even count the number of times people have said, “Well if only people would…” People aren’t, they’ve demonstrated that they won’t. This is not because they are bad people, but because the structure we keep trying to force people into doesn’t match the world in which they function the other 27,30, or 31 days of their month. The structure of monthly meetings assumes that people live in close proximity with one another, and see each other frequently over the week to keep the ideas and ministry tasks moving. As we no longer live next to each other, work with one another, and find ourselves in jobs where leaving for an afternoon ministry task is not acceptable – I’m proposing that we “meet” in the space we actually do all share.
It’s actually the same conceptual idea that led us to shift our prayer chain.