How Donna Got Her Groove Back

Hello. My name is Donna and I am an addict. I thought I had outgrown my habit and have stayed out of it for a while. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I fell back into it. My addiction? Youth and children's ministries.

Friday night when I found myself sitting in the middle of a parking lot with youth from church, I knew I was back. Not sitting in a car in the parking lot. Sitting on the ground in the middle of the parking lot talking about baptism, confirmation, youth trips, youth fund-raising. It was so natural. It is who I am.

Now, I will admit that I am not entirely sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I really felt like I was back in my groove just being with these youth. One could argue that this is a good thing. I have had gentlemen friends in the past express concern that I spend too much time with youth. And I usually think they just don't understand me at all. But this weekend I realized that I need have to balance things differently for this church gig.

When I did youth work before, it was my main church responsibility. Youth work came before becoming clergy. By the time I was clergy, I had passed the youth torch for the most part. I was still around and actively involved in youth ministry, but someone else was "in charge" of the youth and I was transitioning into the college and young adult program. And as one of several clergy on staff, I did was not in the black robe every weekend.

Now I need to continue my associate pastor responsibilities, oversee children and youth programs, while not neglecting my "real" job in the law office or my personal life. News flash: I have a personal life. And a "real" job. But I find that I get more and more calls and e-mails related to the church when I am at the law office. And at least twice this week, someone special to me has had to wait for me longer than expected while I have been handling church stuff.

Someone once reported that I have a passion for children and youth. At the time I wondered if I really had a passion for young people generally or if the passion was just for a particular group of children and youth to whom I had become close. I guess the answer is that I generally have a passion for youth and children's ministry. I have always said that I have been able to be good at this calling because, being single, I have been readily available to children and youth. Maybe rather than being availalbe because I am single, I am single because I am often willing to be available for the kids.

I am working on getting into my balanced groove because I love doing student ministry, I love most aspects of my "real" job and I love my family and friends who also need my time.

Things are starting to groove as we just completed VBS, we are planning youth week, we created a children's council who met tonight and planned some great summer events. A family weekend is planned. People are on board for working together to carry out student ministry. And the plans are for true worshipful ministries - not just having a youth group or babysitting children.

Yes - exciting things are happening. Come groove with us.