Five years is a long time.
Lots can change in five years. One can finish high school or college in less than that. One can go from being an infant unable to hold up her own head to walking and running and writing her own name. One's family status can undergo many changes in five years.
Five years is a long time, but it's also really not that long.
Yet, it's the most I can think into the future right now. As I'm talking with churches and discerning where God is calling me post-seminary, I've been asking myself "Can I see myself in this particular community or that particular church for at least five years?" If I can answer "yes" to that question, I feel good about continuing in conversation with committees.
I was talking to one of my pastors about this question, and she said, "Emily, I hope your first call lasts longer than five years!"
It's not that I'm limiting my first call to only five years. It's just that I can't think in any larger terms. I haven't lived in a particular place longer than four years recently. I moved across the state for college, but that was only four years. I moved across the country for seminary, but that was only four years (plus one of the years was in a different state).
So for right now, the "five year question" remains on my mind.
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5 comments:
Five years feels like forever to me. That's time to have at least two laptops, time enough to have two car leases, it's 1/5 of my life, and in five years hair could grow 2.5 feet!
A Wee Blether
Five years....about how long I have served in my first/current call...close to 1/11th of my life...I'm encouraged by your five year lens as it implies to me that you are thinking of investing time and energy in developing relationships, not climbing the career ladder. Wise woman imho.
funny you should mention 5 years, since this August is mine and Kevin's 5th year anniversary! It seems like such a long and short time all together... Miss you Em!
Good discernment question. Hope your call process continues to move along.
Five years is a good time frame. Also, interstingly enough, it is the average time which many young pastors (in our denomination) reamin in minsitry before deciding on something else. That part is sad for me because I know of soem fine pastors who have now left the ministry to do other things.
If you find a place where you feel you can stay for at least 5 years, then you have the average beat.
I may be stretching things a bit, but I figure the five year mark is a good one in many ways. It is time one must be in remission before being declared cancer free, it is time one spends in most schools (grade school, high school years + one), it is the age one must spend here on planet earth before entering the school system formally...
5 years. it is a good thing.
Your are wise and full of discernment. Keep it up.
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