Just Another Sunday Morning
Beating the Sunday blahs and actually showing up to work
Just this week I looked at my husband and asked, “What if I just didn’t show up?”
Yes, this was a Sunday morning. Sunday mornings are my Monday mornings.
Fortunately, this feeling passed. I made it to church. I even enjoyed my time at church. But it was a feeling.
I suspect I’m not alone in this feeling. Being a pastor is, among other things, a job. One of the most ubiquitous parts about a job is occasionally wishing that you didn’t have it. I have a pretty garden variety version of this. I feel no persistent or genuine push to leave my current job. Sometime I just want to stay in bed. I’m here to normalize this, even amongst clergy.
I have a process for this feeling, especially when it shows up on Sundays. I get to my church a couple hours ahead of when our service starts. It’s almost always quiet. I like it because I can think about my sermon and play a few songs on the piano. There’s a few other important things I do like unlock the doors and print the bulletins. More often than not I just sit quietly on the steps in the front of our sanctuary. Almost always, just being there helps reset some of the stress. I get to pray, I get to breathe. It makes me glad I showed up.
Another thing that helps is if I really couldn’t show up, I know who to call. Even this week (especially this week!) if I was sick, if I was paralyzed with anxiety, if I just couldn’t do it I have folks in my congregation I would call and I could stay home.
This is critical. If you don’t have this, get it asap. Everyone needs to be able to call off; everyone deserves a sick day. Just knowing I have the ability to call off gives me a chance to catch my breath.
It’s a busy week for me and many church people. It’s a bit stressful. I can get caught up in all I have to do. It helps to ask every so often, “What if I didn’t show up?”
There would still be prayers, there would still be singing. Church would go on without me. But it’s still nice that I get to join in.
What I’m baking
The highlight of my week was making a batch of Vermont maple white chocolate cookies as found in Erin Renouf Mylroie’s 101 Great Cookies on the Planet. I tend to be cheap about baking with things like pecans or special extracts, but spending a little extra was absolutely worth it for these cookies. The only slight addition I made was a tiny, tiny sprinkle of salt on top to finish. Maple pecan buttery goodness!
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through any of my book links and make a purchase. You can also support me through buying Bookshop gift cards and purchasing books of your choosing. Thank you!
From the archives
Last year I wrote about how Holy Week can be really busy for part-time pastors, but it doesn’t mean it has to last forever. Check out The Holy Week Hustle here.
A little reminder to take time off even when you don’t want to. Working double hours this week? You better get that time off the following week.
More reflecting on how pastors occasionally need reminded that it’s nice to go to church. And if you’re in the Cleveland area and want to attend, not lead, worship this week, my congregation is hosting a 5pm Saturday service where you too can come sit on my sanctuary steps.
What life looks like
