I like being in the background...

[jenley]

I am the church secretary for my WELS church.
I like it, word processing is my thing...

Being the secretary, I do know some of what is going on but sometimes others think I have 'power' that I do not.
Say at voters meetings... As a single woman, I do not get a vote.
I go to them, just the discussion part at the beginning, just to like clarify stuff or ask clarifying questions and get others to think. Because there are sometimes -ideas that pastor has bounced off me, leading up to the decisions being brought before the congregation.
Not things I should not know but like things he wants my opinion on.
Uuummm, an example, do we ask the congregation if we should apply for a loan to hire a landscape contractor to make the campus more appealing? (They're expensive!)

So anyway, I like being in on these discussions but get uncomfortable when others look to me as more important than I am...

Oh and even with this being a small congregation, not everyone knows that I do what I do, they are just happy the service folder is there for them every Sunday... Not that that's all I do...
And that's ok, I like being in the background...

Ok, do I have a point or a question? Not really, just thought it might start a discussion...

[ctay]

Hi welcome to the forums, if there was a WELs church close enough, I'd probably go

[seajoy]

Hello Jenley! I always thought the job of a church secretary would be quite difficult. I admire you for taking on the task.

It's great that your pastor and congregation has someone they can trust. There are confidentiality issues, and also the pastor just needs someone bounce things off of, that are rolling around in his head.

We once belonged to an LCMS church where the secretary was spreading lies about the pastor, in that he did nothing all day etc.... A couple of months later she was diagnosed with early onset alzheimers. But folks still believed what she said. It was the beginning of the end for our pastor friend.

[cerette]

Jenley,

I am not sure I understand... you said there are things you shouldn't know that you do know because the pastor has asked for your opinion... Does this mean your pastor tells you things that he shouldn't be telling anyone? If he asks for your opinion on regular church matters, I would not say they are things you shouldn't know. It is not sinful for a woman to go to meetings and listen to the discussions and even speak her opinion on the matter.. Things you shouldn't know are things that have been told to someone in confidence. This should not include regular church matters..

[cerette]

Ooohhh..I read your post again and now I see what you are saying!!! Ignore my post, I misunderstood! Sorry.

[PreachersWife2004]

Jenley, I know what you mean! Being married to a pastor, I am privvy to information that I don't always like to know. Not because he tells me, but because we're in the same house - his office is here at the parsonage. It's hard to not overhear things.

[LutheranChick]

I am the church secretary for my WELS church.
I like it, word processing is my thing...

Being the secretary, I do know some of what is going on but sometimes others think I have 'power' that I do not.
Say at voters meetings... As a single woman, I do not get a vote.
I go to them, just the discussion part at the beginning, just to like clarify stuff or ask clarifying questions and get others to think. Because there are sometimes -ideas that pastor has bounced off me, leading up to the decisions being brought before the congregation.
Not things I should not know but like things he wants my opinion on.
Uuummm, an example, do we ask the congregation if we should apply for a loan to hire a landscape contractor to make the campus more appealing? (They're expensive!)

So anyway, I like being in on these discussions but get uncomfortable when others look to me as more important than I am...

Oh and even with this being a small congregation, not everyone knows that I do what I do, they are just happy the service folder is there for them every Sunday... Not that that's all I do...
And that's ok, I like being in the background...

Ok, do I have a point or a question? Not really, just thought it might start a discussion...

Welcome, jenley! We have a few ELS churches in WA also. How big is your congregation?

[LilLamb219]

Hi Jenley!

Our church secretary is a very hard worker...and she's just a part-timer! I do not envy that job! There's so much to do! But we do appreciate her and I bet your congregation is so lucky to have you :)

[DaRev]

Our council doesn't like our secretary and can't understand what she does. They have reduced her to one day per week for four hours. Needless to say, I now have more to do in the office. :doh:

[cerette]

Our council doesn't like our secretary and can't understand what she does. They have reduced her to one day per week for four hours. Needless to say, I now have more to do in the office. :doh:
Maybe you should mention it to the council...?? Or maybe they should sub for her sometime and see what it is that she does.

[jenley]

Welcome, jenley! We have a few ELS churches in WA also. How big is your congregation?
It is small... 80 communicant members and tons of kids. Growing slowly but surely
We started a preschool last year and it is almost full for next year already

[jenley]

I am also only part time and only last summer started getting paid. As it is I get paid for about half the hours I work. I don't do it for the pay, that's just a bonus.

My real job(well, the one that pays the bills) is as a secretary in the Special Ed Department of the local school district.

Pastor is slowly letting go of stuff he is used to doing but that I could do so he can do more pastor stuff instead of secretary stuff... This started out as a mission church so for many years he did do everything. Now he doesn't have to...

[jenley]

Jenley, I know what you mean! Being married to a pastor, I am privvy to information that I don't always like to know. Not because he tells me, but because we're in the same house - his office is here at the parsonage. It's hard to not overhear things.
Oh no, I don't want to give that impression either...
Uuummm, ok, another example... Pastor asked me what I thought about him asking the elders to apply for a Vicar because I know how busy he is.

He asked for my input on paint colors for the outside of the buildings. We picked out like 8 colors that are now painted on different buildings and walls for input from everyone.

And obviously I know what he is going to announce before Sunday if I have typed it up earlier in the week

[cerette]

Oh no, I don't want to give that impression either...
Uuummm, ok, another example... Pastor asked me what I thought about him asking the elders to apply for a Vicar because I know how busy he is.

He asked for my input on paint colors for the outside of the buildings. We picked out like 8 colors that are now painted on different buildings and walls for input from everyone.

And obviously I know what he is going to announce before Sunday if I have typed it up earlier in the week
do the other members of the congregation have a problem with you knowing these things?? that would be ridiculous. it's not like you are the pastor's "teacher's pet" or anything.

[porterross]

You never know....are you both single? ;)

[jenley]

do the other members of the congregation have a problem with you knowing these things?? that would be ridiculous. it's not like you are the pastor's "teacher's pet" or anything.
No, no, I never said anyone had a problem with it:)

I was just saying that others think I know more than I do or have more influence than I do... I don't

And pastors wife is one of my best friends and his 3 kids hang out in my office all the time...

[DaRev]

You never know....are you both single? ;)


And pastors wife is one of my best friends and his 3 kids hang out in my office all the time...

I think that answers that question. ^_^

[jenley]

I think that answers that question. ^_^
Yep

[dinkime]

welcome, jenley!!

[jenley]

welcome, jenley!!
Thank you

[BigNorsk]

Our council doesn't like our secretary and can't understand what she does. They have reduced her to one day per week for four hours. Needless to say, I now have more to do in the office. :doh:

If you just do what she did, you are just confirming to the council that you didn't need a secretary. Fill up your schedule a couple of weeks in a row. And when they ask why there's no bulletin, and so on, just say, well the secretary doesn't have enough hours to get it done anymore and I wasn't hired as a secretary, I have a flock to take care of. Then suggest that maybe the council would like to come in for a day or two a week and get those things done.

A little passive agression can go a long ways sometimes.

Marv

[DaRev]

If you just do what she did, you are just confirming to the council that you didn't need a secretary. Fill up your schedule a couple of weeks in a row. And when they ask why there's no bulletin, and so on, just say, well the secretary doesn't have enough hours to get it done anymore and I wasn't hired as a secretary, I have a flock to take care of. Then suggest that maybe the council would like to come in for a day or two a week and get those things done.

A little passive agression can go a long ways sometimes.

Marv

These conversations have been had, actually. There even was a suggestion about a volunteer to do the bulletin. But when volunteers were sought, no one wanted any part of it. Time will tell what becomes of it.

[WildStrawberry]

Hi Jenley! Sorry I'm so late to the thread to welcome you. :blush:


We once belonged to an LCMS church where the secretary was spreading lies about the pastor, in that he did nothing all day etc.... A couple of months later she was diagnosed with early onset alzheimers. But folks still believed what she said. It was the beginning of the end for our pastor friend.

Hmm...all I can say is :confused::scratch::mad::sigh:

Kae

[QuiltAngel]

Hi Jenley
I think I know what you are trying to say. Because you are secretary, people think you know more than what you probably do. I don't see anything wrong with the Pastor wanting input on things like paint and such. He may have even asked others. Even the question about the vicar, he may be asking others too.

As a Pastor's wife, people assume I know who is in the hospital and why, who has what personal problems, who Pastor has visited and when, even that I am a theologian too. They think I have an inside track. I can see where it may be the same with the secretary.

I have learned to act like I don't know what they are talking about when they try to pump for information. This church is very good about not asking for information. When I do give input, I know that it is okay to say something. Or if people are saying something that is not correct, I may make a statement that there is more to a story than we know and that is true of many situations. I had to do that recently regarding a situation I actually knew nothing about.

[jenley]

Hi Jenley
I think I know what you are trying to say. Because you are secretary, people think you know more than what you probably do. I don't see anything wrong with the Pastor wanting input on things like paint and such. He may have even asked others. Even the question about the vicar, he may be asking others too.

As a Pastor's wife, people assume I know who is in the hospital and why, who has what personal problems, who Pastor has visited and when, even that I am a theologian too. They think I have an inside track. I can see where it may be the same with the secretary.

I have learned to act like I don't know what they are talking about when they try to pump for information. This church is very good about not asking for information. When I do give input, I know that it is okay to say something. Or if people are saying something that is not correct, I may make a statement that there is more to a story than we know and that is true of many situations. I had to do that recently regarding a situation I actually knew nothing about.
Exactly! And no, I am not the only one he is talking to and bouncing ideas off of...

Just this afternoon I overheard a lady say "Jen knows everything"
I yelled from my office... Jen does not know everything.
Then got up and walked out into the foyer to talk to the lady.
She then made the comment that I know stuff I can't tell her that I know
I laughed and said... Can't tell ya' and walked away:doh:

[jenley]

These conversations have been had, actually. There even was a suggestion about a volunteer to do the bulletin. But when volunteers were sought, no one wanted any part of it. Time will tell what becomes of it.
Make sure there are a couple typo's every week...

That's how they got me;)

[jenley]

Hi Jenley! Sorry I'm so late to the thread to welcome you. :blush:



Thanks!

[DaRev]

Make sure there are a couple typo's every week...

That's how they got me;)

Oh, there's plenty of those already.

[jenley]

Oh, there's plenty of those already.
Wow, and no one has offered to even just proofread it for you? I'm sorry

[DaRev]

Wow, and no one has offered to even just proofread it for you? I'm sorry

Well, I'm not the one who's doing it... yet.

[QuiltAngel]

Exactly! And no, I am not the only one he is talking to and bouncing ideas off of...

Just this afternoon I overheard a lady say "Jen knows everything"
I yelled from my office... Jen does not know everything.
Then got up and walked out into the foyer to talk to the lady.
She then made the comment that I know stuff I can't tell her that I know
I laughed and said... Can't tell ya' and walked away:doh:
I love it.

[LutheranChick]

Make sure there are a couple typo's every week...

That's how they got me;)
Just make sure they aren't too funny, or they'll keep you just for entertainment! Which reminds me of a story... I do the bulletin at our church- put in the info, anyway, then Pastor's wife prints it (I always email it to her, so she can add anything that she thinks of). One Sunday she added a note about a signup sheet for some upcoming event, and it said there was a 'sin up sheet' for anyone wanting to help out! :D

[dinkime]

Just make sure they aren't too funny, or they'll keep you just for entertainment! Which reminds me of a story... I do the bulletin at our church- put in the info, anyway, then Pastor's wife prints it (I always email it to her, so she can add anything that she thinks of). One Sunday she added a note about a signup sheet for some upcoming event, and it said there was a 'sin up sheet' for anyone wanting to help out! :D

cute story!! :thumbsup:

[jenley]

Just make sure they aren't too funny, or they'll keep you just for entertainment! Which reminds me of a story... I do the bulletin at our church- put in the info, anyway, then Pastor's wife prints it (I always email it to her, so she can add anything that she thinks of). One Sunday she added a note about a signup sheet for some upcoming event, and it said there was a 'sin up sheet' for anyone wanting to help out! :D
Oh man, and at my church, I would never hear the end of it!!