What I Learned in My First Year of Ministry

Adrienne Trevethan

It’s been just over a year since I began my position as Director of Christian Education at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Evanston. Although time seemed to move quickly while I was at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, it seems to move much faster now. Of course, my perspective has changed – life in the church has ebbs and flows that move to a different rhythm, and sometimes it takes a while to catch on to how it all works together. Fortunately, serving at Northminster has been a powerful growing experience, and so I offer these reflections not as unsolicited advice or wisdom from someone who knows better, but as a teacher reflecting on her first year of ministry. Here’s some of what I learned in my first year:

I learned to be myself.  That may seem overly simplistic, but it was a valuable lesson to learn in more ways than I can explain. I came into this position following a person who had been here for several years. It would have been easy to constantly compare my way of being in ministry to hers, or to the ministry of other people in my field. Would I be able to accomplish similar things? Would my leadership be strong enough? I realized that being preoccupied with those questions would not help me do the things God was calling me to do (or in the ways in which I was called to do them). I know how I approach teaching and administration, which includes my strengths and my growing edges. If I’m not myself, people will notice. 

I learned that the world doesn’t fall apart from making a major change.  I was told in several classes at Garrett-Evangelical that it isn’t advisable to make a major change in the life of the church until (at least) after the first year. While this may have been sound advice from professors with many years of experience, it doesn’t always account for the realities of ever-changing church cultures and contexts. There are times when we must make choices, and the situation doesn’t wait until we’ve met a monthly requirement. It is difficult to keep a finger on the pulse of the church when things are moving quickly, but it’s necessary. A few months ago, I was profoundly frustrated and disappointed, and now I’m coming up on the end of a 4-month long discernment process that involves making major changes to how we understand education as a church. This is not to say that we have it all figured out; we still have needs and challenges, but we have done this together. It may initially take a nudge from a trusted mentor or senior colleague, but don’t neglect acting when you need to act.  

I learned (am learning) to delegate.  In my first year, I’m fairly certain I spent too much time being lost in details or chasing rabbits. Sure, I got some things done, but my priorities come first for a reason. 

I learned that every interaction matters.  Every interaction I have with members of this church matters – whether it’s a phone call, talking at the coffee hour or after Bible Study. I’m only here for a certain amount of time – I only have a brief window to get to see peoples’ lives, and it’s all meaningful.

I learned that clear communication comes immediately after the Golden Rule.  After the commandment of loving God and neighbor, I suspect that Jesus said something about communicating clearly (which is probably still sitting around in Q somewhere – someone should look into that). The more I can communicate my plans and ideas, the stronger our programs will be. The more opportunities I create for people to communicate with me, the stronger our programs will be. This doesn’t mean that I’ll have a large rush of people running to our open houses or parent meetings, but it does mean that people have the chance to express themselves. We’ve tried various approaches over the last few months, and the people who felt invested had the opportunity to share. As the Presbyterian Church (USA) has taught me, there is wisdom in the process.

I learned to trust my colleagues/mentors.  It took me awhile to open up to my colleagues, which had nothing to do with them, but more to do with my prior experiences in other settings. When I was able to recognize those experiences and let down my guard, then I began to feel like I was truly a part of the staff. I learned to value the experiences of the other staff members, and hear the stories of congregation members to keep perspective. I learned to network with other people in my field across the country so that I would always have a community of shared experiences and resources. Thankfully, Garrett-Evangelical taught me about the importance of keeping a close community, which has been invaluable.   

I learned to over-plan.  Things usually go much more smoothly if I have too many options. I can’t always predict what will happen, but I’ve learned how to deal with it without becoming a complete spaz (well, most of the time).

I learned that balance is necessary.  I don’t necessarily mean time management (although this is important and is covered in many Garrett-Evangelical classes), but balance of spirit. I can’t vision or teach well if I don’t take time for the means of grace. In my experience, it hasn’t come when I’ve planned times of spiritual rest; rather, these moments seem to catch me when I have a little space. There were several times in the winter when I would look out my office window, and the clouds would be dancing across the sky – or the sun would be going down – and I would stop whatever I was doing, and there was an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. I think of Ecclesiastes and the wisdom of finding delight in one’s labor, and I think this is what God calls us to do – live a balanced life, and in doing so, serve more fully.

I learned that the distinctions we create are often false.  This year, I had the chance to do some teaching about my studies so far in Native American theology. There is a phrase often used in Native culture that speaks about the “oneness” of our interactions. Simply put, the distinctions we create that separate ourselves from each other are false.  A Native American theology holds that we find the sacred when we learn to live and work together, and in doing so, we find that we are all connected. Even as we’ve had discussions about our various programs at the church, it’s become all the more clear to me how related our ministries are: Worship is educational; education is worshipful; the music ministry is educational; teaching is sacramental. While we have responsibilities in so many areas, our common work itself is worship. 

I learned that I experience grace the most in “ordinary time.” The most profound moments of grace have come in-between the major events of the liturgical year. I have experienced moments of grace between running from one task to the other; while laughing in the office; in an unexpected hug; in conversations standing in the doorway; while dismissing the kids after Sunday School; in reading the words of a 5^th grader who loves liturgy. 

From someone who hopes to have many more years in educational ministry - be it in local churches or in other settings – for all of the unknowns, all its messiness, and all the challenges of being in community – I can think of no vocation more fulfilling and worthwhile. Thanks be to God. 

---

Adrienne Trevathan is the Director of Christian Education at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Evanston, IL. Adrienne graduated with an M. Div. from Garrett-Evangelical in 2009, and will one day finish her M.A. in Christian Education. Adrienne is a member of the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church.