sometimes meetings are good

The Cluster Council officers--President, Vice-President, Treasurer and me (and Nathan) haven't met for a long time to plan the agenda for the Cluster Council meeting since the Cluster Council hasn't met since sometime last fall.

Things are simply perking along--which is what I like! I am a fan of positive ruts--so there wasn't really anything to meet about.

But the Executive Committee met tonight and the Council will meet next Tuesday.

(For those who find all I've written to be in Sanskrit: I'm the Interim Missioner of the Middlesex Area Cluster Ministry--three churches who share clergy and practice 'total common ministry', which means clergy are a necessary evil but not necessary for much of the life of the churches in the cluster!)

Meeting tonight was great. We all love each other and sharing a meal is a good thing to do any time and maybe we should meet from time to time (though I really don't like most meetings).

We meet at the Cozy Corner in Durham. The waitress there (only one for 12 tables!) is young and lovely with the slightest of Italian accents who is the greatest waitress I know).

I tell Bern about her. Bern has been a great waitress herself and actually waited tables while she was in New York acting when we were newly married and waited tables and acted while I was in Seminary in Virginia.

The young woman at Cozy Corner is amazing. I walk in after three months or so and she smiles, says hello and says, "ice-water and a Pinot Grigio?"

Amazing! And with people at all 12 tables she takes orders, serves and buses the tables all by herself while noticing (who knows how?) whether anyone needs coffee or wine refills.

A Pearl beyond price she is.

I tip her 35% and include something in cash.

That's how good she is.

Such competence and attention is seldom demonstrated and ever less appreciated.

I think the 5 of us should meet more often just to be served by her.

And, finally, to learn from her what 'service' and 'ministry' is all about and how to recognize it and appreciate it and emulate it.

Waiting tables is a lot like 'ministering'.

Knowing that should humble us 'ministers' enough to do the job and enlighten us enough to know what we do isn't 'special' unless we do it with the same competence and grace as that young waitress.

What a gift her service is to me.