Once A Priest

[poliphilo]

 I rang a couple of older Friends yesterday to see how they were. Both have serious issues with their health. Both are in their 80s.

I find myself slipping into the role of minister to the congregation. I find I can't help myself. Once a bloody priest always a bloody priest.

Comments

[cmcmck]

Don't forget that as a Quaker you're once again a priest- priesthood of all believers and all that!

[poliphilo]

That's true....

The danger though is that one slips into a leadership role and everybody else sits back and goes, "X" will see to it".

This happened with our Meeting just before we joined. There was a married couple who had taken on responsibility for just about everything- he was Clerk and she was Treasurer- and something went wrong or they suffered burn-out (probably both) and they quite suddenly resigned their offices and quit. It all but killed off the Meeting.....

[cmcmck]

I was women's officer at Ealing and I don't know who took that on when we moved!

[mallorys_camera]

You know, if you have a talent for leadership, there is absolutely nothing wrong in exercising it.

The danger comes in imposing it.

[poliphilo]

True.

I've never really thought of myself as a leader but in certain situations I seem to slip into the role...