From the President

When CHHSM staff and Board members talk with leaders of CHHSM ministries about their work, we often hear a common refrain: "I am too busy. I have too much to do." Being too busy has become so much a part of our not-for-profit culture that we have even developed an impressive lexicon to express our busyness. We lack "capacity;" we must engage in additional "resource development" in order to reach our "outcome objectives." We must, in short, do more than ever before.

But when we have reached the point where we are doing all we can possibly do, what then? How can we find relief from the relentless pressures of our work? With those questions in mind, CHHSM's staff is planning our 2007 Annual Meeting, titled "The Rhythm of Rest and Work: Leading with Soul." The meeting, our 69th, will be held March 1-4, 2007 in Louisville, Kentucky.

We are pleased to announce that the keynote speaker for the 2007 Annual Meeting will be Wayne Muller, author of books including Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Life. During our meeting, Muller will offer two keynote presentations.

Perhaps you are thinking, "Yes, I am too busy. But in a time when many of our ministries face increased fiscal pressures, competition and regulation, why should we devote four days to talking about rest? Muller's eloquent writing assures us that the time will be well-spent: not only does Sabbath rest foster our individual health and ability to lead with wisdom, but, "Sabbath is an incubator for wisdom. When we allow the rush and pressure of our days to fall away, even for a short period of time, we are more able to discern the essential truth of what lies before us. Jesus said, 'If the eye is simple and clear, the body will be full of light;' and 'Those that have ears, let them hear.' Through meditation, prayer, and stillness, we refine our vision, we sharpen our hearing."(Sabbath 165)

As founder of Bread for the Journey, a national non-profit that nurtures neighborhood philanthropy, Muller is particularly aware that frantic busyness can cause healing and service leaders to miss the simple power of simply being present, of witnessing the suffering of those we serve:

"Of course, all our social ills cannot be solved through simple presence. People need access to quality medial care, adequate housing, social and criminal justice, good jobs and better schools. Many systemic problems require community-wide attention. But even then, without stillness, without being present, we will get it wrong. We will miss the simple, quiet opportunities for shifting the pattern. If we are still, we can hear more accurately what is truly necessary. We do not create a whirlwind of useless intervention." (167)

Precisely because we are all so busy, we are announcing the 2007 Annual Meeting theme and keynote speaker earlier than usual. Now you have more than eight months to find time for four days that could be an antidote to the busyness that threatens to undo us all. I hope that you will plan now to read Wayne Muller's book Sabbath--we will mail a copy to all CHHSM corporate member CEOs in July--and to join us in Louisville next March.

Bryan W. Sickbert
President/CEO

Earlier Columns

• May 2006
• April 2006
• February 2006
• January 2006
• December 2005 - Silver Jubilee of Kirchengemeinschaft