Cana delighted in calling me tonight on my way to a PPR meeting, and telling me that President Obama had to do a "do over" because of the word-bobbling yesterday. The Chicago Tribune says:
Obama retook the oath before a handful of aides in the White House Map Room—31 hours after he spoke the words before more than a million people arrayed on the Mall. In the first go-around, Chief Justice John Roberts botched the wording, deviating from the language in the Constitution. Following along, Obama repeated the mistake."Out of an abundance of caution," White House Counsel Greg Craig said in a statement, Obama decided to retake the oath Wednesday. Roberts again presided.
Today I also heard of an account of a preacher who left out something in the order of worship (the offering) and the people reminded this preacher at the end of the service. He used his own forgetfulness as an example of what he had just said in the sermon about God calling us, despite our imperfections, to discipleship, but accidentally used the "s---" word to describe what he had done. The congregation simply laughed, he was mortified.
I sure would like to have the chance to do a do-over on some things I have mis-said from the pulpit and in the superintendency work....I will not confess to all, but one time while I was in Canton, talking about how we have such a hard time breaking ourselves of hurtful habits in relationships I said that much as we try we "screw up, and we screw up, and we screw up." I even had it written down in my full manuscript. 'Twas a liberal congregation there at Canton, but one leader took me aside after the service and said, "Uh, Susan...you might try using some other word than that next time..." Good grief, I sure would have liked to have had a second-chance on that one. Or when I prayed with a pastor recently, I called him in the prayer by the former pastor's name .
I am trying to figure out, besides a good old fashion apology, how you rectify these situations. Most of us don't get a second chance. Over the years, you sort of get a little more suave about covering the mistakes, but I still get mortified when I realize what I've done. I guess what having done something like this mostly does for, is it helps me be more forgiving when someone utters a faux pas that I could take as a hurt, but instead, knowing how imperfect I am, I laugh and say with Roseanne Roseannadanna "never mind." Most congregations, I have found, have grown very adept at that phrase...thank God!
3 comments:
I've forgot the offering several times, but I always get reminded, usually by the church treasuruer, or the ushers waiving plates in the air.
I also have forgotten to take the offering. After the second week in a row, one of the members reminded me that I can't get paid unless I take the offering. Yikes!
I have also been called by the wrong name...at my first wedding, and yes, throughout the ceremony. We did find a way to correct it after the second or third time. (Poor guy). Does this mean the marriage technically wasn't official? Because that sure would make my second one a whole lot easier to explain, especially to church folks.
Holy cow. Talk about a desire for do-overs. Seven years have gone by since that marriage ended, and I still feel like I'll never stop paying for it.
What do you do when you hope in new life, and forgiveness, and reconciliation, and all that other Jesus-language we use, but it never seems to fully come to fruition in your own life? Don't get my wrong, there are always glimpses and moments of healing, but there are always hauntings too. What do you do with that?
Hi Susan,
I have a theory that preacher/pastors are like politicians... You do fine until you accumulate "negatives" in your district and then they "vote you out".
It's a truely skillful pastor that survives more than the 3 1/2 years.
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