Easter's Done, Where's the Slower Pace?

I was anticipating a much slower pace after Easter. I wouldn't have the extra work with the more complicated worship services we were doing during Lent. I wouldn't be teaching a book study and developing a PowerPoint presentation that provided a summary for those who didn't read the material without boring those who did. I was sure things would slow down. It was a great theory. The problem is, everything I put off until after Easter now has to be dealt with. Further complicating things is the reality that the late Easter leaves less time before the start of summer-- and vacations.

I've been spending a great deal of time in all the meetings that were put off until after Easter. We are making big plans for the fall, and coordinating them is going to take some work. I am very much into the big picture and coordinating all of our programs around a theme. The pattern here has been, at least recently, that each ministry goes off and does its own thing. Pulling together all the people to coordinate the various pieces takes time. Getting everyone on board and contributing their pieces in a timely manner isn't easy. Just finding a time when everyone can meet is almost impossible.

I'm teaching a Bible study at the conference Daughter and I attend every July, and I need to begin planning for that. I also need to begin working on adult study and worship plans for the fall if everything is going to coordinate. I've decided I'm going to have to find a quiet place away from the church where I can do some work. I have a steady stream of people through my study all day. I love the interactions and conversations that take place, but it makes it hard to focus on a big task. It's time to get away from the office and begin exploring the are in search of good places to get some work done, away from the distractions in my home and study.

I'm really looking forward to the fall, and am eager to begin to lay out the study and worship piece of our plans. Daughter goes to camp on June 6th, and I think that week I will set aside some blocks of time for planning. That is also the week her program moves to its new building. Why wait until June 6th? This week's calendar is already too full-- most days I have morning and afternoon commitments. I'll be gone most of July, so I need to get busy.