From time to time, discussion in the parish will focus around some of the people that are difficult to work with or resistant. What people are ignoring is that the church is composed of human beings!
And human beings can clash, disagree or at times be downright mean to one another! Should we be surprised when we discover such dynamics in the parish community?
There will always be people moving into our community and moving out in this modern world. One parishioner, a man in his mid-fifties, told of a very painful situation about the trucking company he worked for three years ago. New management was brought in and eighteen of the thirty-two employees moved on within the first year and two months of the new management’s tenure. Something dysfunctional here!
One of the essential qualities for anyone in leadership, in whatever organization or family situation, is how well they will treat other people. What kind of skills do they exercise as people managers?
Anyone in leadership in a church must be sensitive enough to recognize how people actually work and who works with whom, and who clashes with others. This is just good common sense. Some people are gifted in this regard. There are situations where a parish erupts in conflict and a new assigned pastor brings harmony and cooperation. Then there are other pastors or leaders whom the people just walk away from!
First, take time to read the community. Are there individuals who are prickly porcupines, who find it difficult to cooperation and work with others? And then, are there dreamers who can talk big, make great plans but never carry out the work?
Do you have family groups within your parish that have long memories (going back two generations at least) of antagonism towards another family group? Is there a reason that some couples sit only on the north side of the church and others sit on the south side of the church?
Whenever we bring in a new pastor, a new music director, a new youth minister or leader of the RCIA, we must ask, “What kind of people skills do they actually bring with them?” Will they be able to bring people to cooperate with them? Will they be useful to the functioning of the parish?
A parish is not a religious service station where you get your religious ‘services’ done. I t is a living, breathing community of people who share in their belief in Jesus Christ and share in their calling to live as disciples of Jesus. And just like our own family, we need to learn and adapt to one another. Family life is not easy; life in a faith community is not easy either!
Look at your own parish. How well are you integrating the new comers (especially the new Canadians) into the life of the parish? How well are your trying to work together in harmony? Do difficulties provide an opportunity for growth or do they cause serious cracks within the community fabric?
How good are your people skills?
No comments:
Post a Comment