Managing with Less of Everything ... Except Joy

By Mary Eileen Andreasen

Another hiring freeze has been announced. The staff members in diocesan offices are dwindling. Another “going away” party is scheduled. Budget cuts are everywhere. There is less money for mileage reimbursement. A bare bones operation is getting even leaner. Sound familiar? Corporate America? No. Diocesan and parish ministry.

I work for the Archdiocese of Omaha which boasts 151 amazing parishes, spread over 23 counties and approximately 14,000 square miles. There are roughly 60 parishes in metro Omaha and 90 in the rural countryside of northeastern Nebraska. Like everywhere, parishes are graying and needy elders are everywhere. The “Silver Tsunami” with its staggering demographics is upon us. People with disabilities are also clamoring to be heard and have their concerns addressed. I’m running hard just to keep up...and I’m a part-time employee. (What was I thinking?)

Your ministry may be with engaged couples, parents, or divorced men and women. Still, most ministry scenarios are facing the same challenges. How do we provide quality ministry on a shoe string? Following are some points to consider:

1. TRUST AND PRAY.
God is probably behind your ministry (You think?) and God is providential. Miracles (small and large) happen and should be expected on a regular basis.  A donor sometimes materializes at the right time. More volunteers show up than you expect. A program was very well received. You receive an amazing e-mail. A pastor is on your side. Be attentive. Work hard and watch for miracles. Jot them down when they appear and remember them for your dark days. The saints won’t leave us to fend for ourselves. As Bono says, “If you do the work of God, God will watch your back.”

2. BE ABLE TO SAY NO.
Some things, plain and simple, are not a good investment of your time. Like an Emergency Department of a hospital, you must triage. If you stumble upon an excellent idea that supports your mission statement and is viable for the long run, move that idea up to a higher priority. If not, jot it down and put in an ideas folder and save it for another time when you are less busy – like the summer of 2010.

3. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Identify parish representatives for your ministries. Build friendships with pastors and lay ecclesial ministers. Accept volunteer help. Cultivate a team. Find out what organizations support your ministry in the community. Too often faith-based ministries reinvent the wheel instead of sharing resources and volunteers with civic groups. Isolation is deadly in ministry. When we fail to listen or work with others, we cease to be effective.

4. USE TECHNOLOGY WELL.

Send an e-newsletter instead of U.S. mail. Establish an e-mail advisory group. Flag important correspondence in your inbox so it will not be lost. Utilize distribution lists so you can contact many people at once. Understand and use the technology that you have on hand. Talk to your kids and they will teach you amazing things. You can double as their parent and their “service project.”

5. ORGANIZE YOURSELF.
Don’t waste time searching for things. Organize your office. Be lean and clean. Develop an organizational strategy that fits you and that you can actually use. Always ask two questions: Where can I find this? How can I do this task more efficiently? I make a “to do” list on a yellow sheet of paper. I can always find it because of its color and this is the ONLY paper on which I write tasks and reminders. I fill it front and back. It never leaves my side. I organize my day/week from the yellow sheet and cross things off with gusto. When I am done with most tasks on the yellow sheet, it gets tossed and a new one is developed. It helps me work smarter and more efficiently, not necessarily harder.

6. ALLOW FOR INTERRUPTIONS.

Interruptions are the work of God breaking into human experience. Don’t squirm when a tearful staff member walks into your office and shuts the door for a confidential chat. Don’t be outraged when you get a rambling call from a parishioner. That’s God calling. You might be meant to console, challenge, guide, support, or even learn something. Your interaction with people reflects your ministry.  Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open.

7. THINK. THINK. THINK.

Watch for trends and relationships. Read as widely as you can.  How will ethanol production affect the rural parish communities? What does a cut in federal services to the homeless mean to your faith community? How can both children’s ministries and elder ministries economize? When is your ministry called to be pastoral and when is it called to be catechetical? What current ecclesial tensions are present in your diocese? How can you dance that delicate dance and still be welcoming? Think. Think. Think.

8. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

We are people of prayer. A yearly retreat is non-negotiable. Ministerial work does not supersede your own emotional, spiritual and physical health. Working yourself to death sets a bad example. You have permission to enjoy nature, family and friends, a night out, and a vacation. Mother Teresa said, “Do little things with great love.”  That means that you are allowed to do little things for yourself, as well. When we care for ourselves, we can give with more gusto and generosity because we are renewed and refreshed.

9. SHOW ME THE MONEY.

When someone calls you a “sucker” for working long hours at your low paying job, please know that even though justice issues are important, so is passion. There is more to life than making the big bucks. Serving the people of God in the Catholic Church is a noble endeavor, full of twists, turns, and mystery. I’ll take it over department store retail any day. Live with the joy of knowing that you have been called to something honorable and transcendent. Trust that God knows your deepest longings and carry in your heart the “hope that will not disappoint.”

10. SEEK OUT THE HOLY.
Who first inspired you to work in ministry? What/who inspires you now? Is it a sunset on the beach, a quiet monastery, a holy mentor, a certain spiritual writer? Reclaim your call. Be Mary instead of Martha for a day. Listen for His voice.

11. WALK AWAY.

You must be able to walk away from church work when the environment is toxic or where the personal toll is too high. If you are miserable and unfulfilled in your ministry, it’s time to leave. The Church will survive, and maybe even thrive in your absence. Besides, you might be called to work elsewhere. As the presence of God surrounds us, God is present in all occupations. There is no shame in leaving church work after years of service, and no shame in another line of work. Trust in God’s faithfulness to you and God’s bountiful presence in the world!

Enough for now, the phone is ringing. The people of God are calling me.

Mary Eileen Andreasen RN, MS, MA, Coordinator for Aging Ministry and Disabilities Ministry

Family Life Office, Archdiocese of Omaha Nebraska