I participate in something called "RevGalBlogPals." It is a webring open to woman pastors and their friends--i.e., everyone. It is moderated by a team of about ten women. They create community on the web by a number of activities throughout the week, including something called the "Friday Five." Friday Five is essentially a game-- a meme whereby folks reveal something about themselves around some theme (you can click on the link above to look through the archives to see how they do this).
So, I was wondering about a fun way for us to do some of the same things, and I was wondering it on a Tuesday morning, so...
Introducing the Tuesday Two! I will invite those who have an interest to take turns with me thinking up simple pairs of questions that we can post on a Tuesday morning (or Monday night). Hopefully this will be both fun and a conversation starter. I will get things started today by posting my answers to the questions. I invite your answers in the comments, and then a conversation, if you like, again, in the comments. Again, participation is entirely optional (though, obviously, it would be fun to hear from all of you!).
Tuesday Two: Games, Games, Games
One of the things my family loves to do is to play games... board games, card games, word games while waiting for a table in a restaurant... you name it. As my children have grown we have moved from "Life-Junior Edition" to Scrabble and even chess (at which they outpaced me pretty much upon learning how the pieces moved). So I ask each of you:
1. What games do you remember playing as a child that gave you great joy (and is there any reason you can't play them now? Emrys, this is pretty much a shout-out to you...)?
2. What "games" have you encountered in congregational life, either as a pastor or as a member? I do not assume these are all negative in nature (though they might be).
Pat's Tuesday Two: Games, Games, Games.
1. I think the best games I played as a child involved whole groups of kids playing hide and seek over the space of a block on which we all lived. We hid under stairways, in the alleys between houses, in our own houses (though that became sort of obvious). But it was a great adventure-- the game had permutations involving themes (there was Peter Pan hide and seek, there was its cousin, Pirate hide and seek, there was Cinderella hide and seek). Imagination, running around, the thrill of discovery. It was great.
2. It has just occurred to me (and honestly this was not in my mind when I started this post) that congregation members can play a version of hide and seek as well. Hide your (strong) feelings about something from the pastor, and hope that she can figure it out. This seems to be a pretty common congregational dynamic, if anecdotal evidence is at all reliable. This doesn't always have a negative outcome... sometimes folks will talk openly if approached directly and pastorally, using our CPE training and listening, listening, listening. But sometimes, the person doesn't want to be found-- that is a tough moment.
There you have it. Friends, I hope you are all well. If you can't get to this today, try to post when you can. Peace, Blessings.
Mags
6 comments:
1. What games do you remember playing as a child that gave you great joy (and is there any reason you can't play them now? Emrys, this is pretty much a shout-out to you...)?
Our neighborhood was a cookie cutter sub-division full of townhouses. There were kids everywhere and we played a great game of kickball. All over the neighborhood, and once on bikes, though I can't remember how that worked. We also played hide and seek that covered close to a 1/2 mile radius including the woods and under porches. Much fun!
2. What "games" have you encountered in congregational life, either as a pastor or as a member? I do not assume these are all negative in nature (though they might be).
My new favorite is called "I wnat my pet project to happen so I will give some of the money as a designated donation for it." Also known as "He or she who controls the money thinks they control the future of the church." We need new carpet, and an offer was made behind my back that if we replaced the boiler in the basement, the funds would appear for the carpeting (the person to whom the offer was made thought I might want to know). My session said we don't need a new boiler, and now there is no new carpet. But I'm OK with that. My other favorite is called "what do you mean you can't read my mind?"
1. Oh gosh, I have to have two categories for this one: family games and kid-only games. When I was growing up, Friday night was always family night, and usually we would play board games--our favorites for a long time were both picked up in England: Scotland Yard--where one person is a "fugitive" and moves invisibly around a map of London using taxi, bus and underground tokens, and all the other players are the London police, working together to try to locate the fugitive; and a card game that resembles go-fish, but with a deck of cards that had 13 families--(the Bakers, the Smiths, the Cobblers--all vocation related names, with a Mr. Mrs. Master and Miss instead of suits)--instead of asking if someone had the Queen of hearts, we would ask, "Pardon me, but is Mrs. Baker in?" and the response was "Why Yes," or "So sorry, not at home." Fake British accents were mandatory.
Among friends, Sardines (hide and seek where only one person hides at first, and everyone else joins in the same hiding space as they find it) and many large-group card games (Hearts, Rich-Man-Poor-Man, Spoons) were the favorites.
2. My congregation gets a little overly enthusiastic about visiting during the passing of the peace, so we've begun playing a version of musical chairs--I have the musician begin playing the Sung Response to the Assurance of Pardon while people are still chatting with each other, and we get to watch the really talkative people scurry back to their places in time to sing the last few words with us.
Thanks both of you for playing! Maybe more will join us as the week unfolds...
Julie, I have experienced that game before and it always concerns me. Money is such a complicated gift (or can be). I'm glad to hear your session is exercising discerning leadership.
About the mind reading: sigh. It's ubiquitous.
Sara, so good to hear from you too!
I love your congregation's playful enthusiasm... I could definitely live with that (as long as I didn't have some crankypantses watching the clock all the time! I have a friend who's living through the "One Hour And One Hour Only" service game. Oy.)
My family still plays the game of Life, and we get very specific about our spouses (Brendan Fraser is a favorite of mine; then I have to have theme names for the children, like Lucifer and Satin-- in homage to Bedazzled...).
I WANT that card game. We get into accents as well.
We have what might be an American ripoff of the London fugitive game-- "New York Chase." Same idea: cabs, helicopters, a criminal fleeing.
Any takers to think up a TuTwo next week?
Peace,
Mags (Pat)
Pat,
We have friends who play Life as a family, but they change the rules to allow for gay couples and single parents. It's great fun.
Sarah
Now why didn't we think of that? Excellent suggestions.
Peace,
Pat
Sarah - -
bring the card gmae next year -- it sound slike a otn of fun!
Julie
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