March 25, 2010

Can you say "No" to an appointment?

Dear Friends, At our retreat, it came as a surprise to some that you can actually say "No" to an appointment. Frankly, I was surprised too. Looking back I don't think our family has ever said out-and-out "No."

But it seems that you can and that many have. I heard how when a former bishop threatened to move one pastor, the congregational objected by sending over 1,000 letters and hundreds of phone calls. That was back a while, but the bishop listened and the pastor served that church for over 15 years.

That raises the point, can you have long tenure at a church without saying "No" to other appointment offers?

When I discussed this with my spouse, he said that you can say "No" but that there are consequences. Apparently, the consequences are more serious for some than for others.

Have you ever said "No"? Might you? Should you?

Kathy

1 comment:

  1. I asked my DS about this out of curiosity, and he said that while you can, the cabinet "has a long memory", so it's a big risk and you probably end up making people think you're not cooperative and not willing to "go where sent". But I think if the appointment in question really is bad for you and/or your family, it's worth the risk. I suppose you could also be perceived as brave.

    ReplyDelete