Friday, May 19, 2006

This is where those Big Girl Panties come in

A few weeks ago QG shared a photo of a sign she saw at a craft show in Texas: "Put on your big girl panites and deal with it!" Being very new at this whole head-of-staff thing, I've clung to this almost as a word from the Lord.

Today we are interviewing for a new staff member to replace someone who moved out of state. We have a good pool of applicants, including three members of our church. Regarding one of these members, several folks from the congregation have come to see me to express their warmest support for his candidacy. Meanwhile, several staff have come to see me to say, "Please, anyone but X." He has a decidedly off-beat personality that could be a bit much to take forty hours a week. Another member who has applied is in recovery. There has been much jubilation among the friends of this man and his mother, (also a member), that he is finally confronting his addiction after all these years. Some of them have let me know that having a stable job at our church would do SO MUCH to support his hard work in recovery, (with the hinted at corellary that being rejected by his church just might torpedo this whole project.) The third member has no related job experience, but is the unemployed father of some very cute pre-schoolers.

So the hiring team and I are pretty well guaranteed that whoever we pick, member or not, we will have some unhappy and disappointed people to deal with.

I'll put on the big girl panties--you all pray for us.

12 comments:

Jane Ellen+ said...

When I was ordained to the priesthood, the head of my parish discernment committee gave me a card with that saying on it. Words to live by, indeed!

You and your interviews are in my prayers this morning.

Jody Harrington said...

What a tough spot to be in! It's always difficult to fill a position when you have a candidate or candidates who are church members. Prayers going up!!

Sue said...

Praying here too....what a tough situation.

Jules said...

Big girl panties called for indeed in that situation.

I know my way around that hiring-of-church-members thing. It is as mixed a bag as you can imagine.

And how 'helpful' all those other voices are, eh?

spookyrach said...

Lucky, lucky you.

(Ponders which rock anthem will be most appropriate for PCIT's funeral...)

Anonymous said...

Many blessings.
Let us know how it goes.

Anonymous said...

Oy! Well, the other side is that no matter who you pick, someone is going to be VERY happy.

mark said...

this is me, not being jealous.

hope things go well and that you make the decision that is best!

Unknown said...

coming in late on this--how did things go?

Unknown said...

Hope all goes well in hiring also. Praying for you as you decide. Some things that might help are; Does the church have a policy about hiring church members? Background checks can eliminate as well. And who is the one most qualified for the position? Prayers for you. I like that about Big Girl panties. Hadn't heard that one. I will have to remember that, the church I am moving to will be filling some positions of staff who left.

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

Oooh, don't know when the decision had to be made, so I prayed anyhow. Let us know how it went.

Poor you. Even big girls need sympathy sometimes.

Mary Beth said...

oh lord. hang in there.