I serve on a committee at my meeting/church that I hope will soon come to an end. Some committees are “standing” committees, that means their work is ongoing and thus the committee is needed for a long stretch–years, possibly forever. Other committees are ad hoc, or temporary and are formed to take care of a particular task that will come to a close after a certain period of time. I am on the Pastoral Search Committee. Thus, when we discern the right person to serve as pastor and we issue a call (and that call is accepted) this committee will be dissolved.
This is as it should be.
However, it is sometimes not so easy. Occasionally we expect the committees (and let’s add here, organizations, meetings, churches, programs, etc.) we form to last, if not forever, for a very long time. How do we know when something has served its purpose? How do we know when it is time to move on? How do we know when it is time, as Quakers like to say, to “lay it down.”
This is a difficult question. When do we let go of an organization or program? Often our identity is wrapped up in it, or it has been (or continues to be) meaningful to a person, a family, or a group. Thus, letting go is wrapped up in emotional and historical issues as much if not more than in the conviction that its role is still relevant and vibrant.
I am wondering about this because in the past few years two local Friends meetings have been “laid down.” These decisions were not easy and it resulted in some feeling displaced. I am wondering about it also because there are probably a lot of other meetings (and committees and organizations and programs, et al.) that need to follow suit.
However, as difficult as these decisions are, I think it is important that we consider the matter of “laying down.” Why? Because generally, when something is discontinued it is at the end of a long process of decline, decay, and death.
Ok, that seems obvious enough. Yet, I think the time to let go is BEFORE the last breath of life is drawn, before we are writhing on the ground in an extended public demise. In other words, groups that come to a close can and should do so from a position of confidence, life, and some strength. I am not advocating laying down organizations that are thriving. Of course not. However, if we are more attentive to the signs of life and the movement of the Spirit, and if we are less attached to our programs (and committees and meetings and organizations) then perhaps we can reshape, renew, and when it is time, release.
So again, how do we know when something has served its purpose? How do we know when it is time to move on? How do we know when it is time to “lay it down?”
It seems like it should be easy enough to tell when an organization is thriving and fulfilling its purpose, but this can be harder when, even at the beginning, that purpose was nebulous. If a congregation/meeting originally forms based on geographical convenience is fulfilling its purpose simply not disappearing?
Even if we can determine thriving, how do we know when an organization becomes unnecessary? Is it enough that some parts of the organization are serving a useful purpose? Can the parts continue if the whole is lost?
Sometimes it is the reality that we have lost touch with the Spirit that inspired us to begin an endeavor. We then take refuge in the process itself.
I suspect if we followed the Spirit and valued His leading over our own feelings, we might make better choices about the right time to lay something down. Doesn’t mean it won’t be painful, but when we have sold out ourselves and our desires for those of Christ, we will make the hard choices trusting God with the consequences and the future.
Dr. J.
I truly understand the turmoil you are feeling, I have struggled through a similar situation. While my following words aren’t fancy, they are my humble observation. As to death we lay it down and sometimes wonder if we had done something else, something different, would we have achieved our mission? The end of this “issue” or the death of this issue can be used to fertilize a new and perhaps more productive action. It takes sometimes, what has gone “not well”, “not right” or simply, poorly to die before we can see the light again. We get so wrapped up in saving “it” or fixing “it” that we don’t stop to consider that perhaps God is really trying to lead us in a new direction. Being productive is relative. Being efficient is critical. Following the heart of our God is mandatory for His people.
If you smell the decay of a situation, it might be time to till it into the earth a get a fresh new vision.
Well stated, Brad. Process and procedures become forms that are attended to, as you rightly mention, sometimes at the expense of the Spirit. We’ve probably all had occasions when the Spirit clearly moved through the process–yet, there are at least as many times when such things have become obstacles…or worse yet, strategies for silencing a prophetic and/or creative word in our midst. Thanks for your comments.
Nice posting. I do think, however, that sometimes it might be worthwhile to consider laying something down because it is thriving, if it has truly accomplished its purpose. Beyond committees and organizations, I wonder if it is not worth considering at times laying down some of our process as well – not when we are considering deep spiritual issues, but in the spirit of looking at how our process can help us to be greater than the sum of our parts. Consider the example of minutes and epistles: some Meetings spend hours of people-time focusing on the letters of documents, not the spirit. Given our numbers, is this the best use of our resources?
Unfortunately, too often, the decisions that should have been made when the sun is shining are not made until we see that the roof is leaking – even though we knew what was coming. We, as we are human, are resistant to pro-active changes and prophetic voices. These often come back to challenge us.