16 November 2008

Church angst

I realized today I've never lived through a church leadership change. I suppose sort of the one at OPAG but the Pastor who took over had already been on staff for 15 years and had been team leading, so it wasn't some sort of shake up. Behind the scenes I'm sure there were issues but my church didn't mutate out from under me.

A few weeks ago, our Spanish pastor stepped down and let someone he was grooming to take over in another year or so go ahead and take the helm now. I think there was some conflict in style and speed of change. I'm anxious now.

The new pastor is very personable and nice as a person, it's not that. He seems to want to operate in a more old school church style, taking you back to the 1980s maybe. Musically when he sings, it's usually something from that era. His style is more emotional and you didn't really get it if you didn't come forward. (implied not stated). He also veers off of his main point pretty much every week for about 15 minutes or more.

There's nothing I can do about this. I'm not in leadership, no one wants my opinion. It's something I have to adjust too. I guess one thing that has occurred is I've learned that I like an scholarly approach to scripture and learning, not an emotional one. So I will have to learn more about myself through this process and accept that without realizing it, I had a church style.

11 November 2008

Customer service? I don't think so.

Tonight we drove through near rush hour traffic in a city of 5 million, Madrid. We navigated tricky one way streets, wrong turns, and tiny street signs. We arrived at the Plaza de Something Republica. Parked two floors underground in a garage. We walked two blocks dragging a suitcase to a business address.

About six weeks ago, I dropped off two pieces of equipment at this business to be fixed. The equipment - two different decks for work - is large enough that we need the suitcase to move it back to the car.

The business had moved. In the myriad of emails that flew between my Spanish speaking co-worker and the six or seven phone calls, no one thought to mention that they were moving AWAY! Come on!

Can I just say this is what socialism gets you? Customer service is not important. It isn't important that the clients be able to return to pick up their expensive equipment or that a satisfied customer be able to return and give them future business. I suppose the good news is that the doorman seemed to know where they were at and their phone number is still the same. But WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO LET ME KNOW?

So we get to drive into the city again in the very near future and pick up one piece that is repaired and another that -- oh joy -- will have to be hand carried to the United States. Probably by us. Did I mention that this is someone else's responsibility, but they can't seem to get around to it? Yeah, it's good to be responsible; my fault, I offered to help!