Tuesday, May 22, 2007

working for a church

sometimes it's hard working for a small church. there's exactly 4 people on salary (not including the maintenance guy and the lady who comes in once a week to write the checks!-for those wondering, that would be me, the DRE, the office manager, and the priest.) so I have to do a lot of figuring out stuff myself.
I'm just a little stressed/worried. I have to figure out my hours and how everything will work, like, make sure my hours will balance out between the business of Christmas and Easter, and the slowness of summer.
how am I really supposed to do that when I don't know exactly what I'll be able to do in the fall with things like a children's choir? Bringing in outside scholas for an occasional Mass or two?
I'm not complaining, I'm just pointing out how, well, in a bigger church wouldn't someone be telling me how I would spend my time? Maybe not, but I am definitely not a "visionary." by that, I mean how like I'm not going to be very good at finding stuff to do for 20 hours a week with just music. but that's part of my job description! (something about "expanding and improving the music program...) I mean, the choir loft and music library need to be cleaned out SO much, and I can always practice more (prepare a prelude, etc,) but I'm just worried about how to...quantify? all of that... and my lack of ideas for more things to do, or at least how to implement them...

3 comments:

Bear said...

Are you allowed to move hours around from one week to another? Say for example, reduce the hours in the summer when there is little to do, and make up for it in the fall when the programs, including the children's choir, start up? You seem to say that in your post, but your wording was a bit ambiguous.

Mara Joy said...

yeah, that's pretty much what I'll do.

PhiMuAlpha2681 said...

Mara,

Summer is GREAT for getting things done that you may not have time to do the rest of the year. Filing and organization is good. Planning liturgies and choral anthems for the fall (and if you're really good, for the whole next year!) is also great. Practice a lot. This is when you'll be able to learn new literature for the "festival" portion of the year. What do you find yourself never having time to get done during the busy part of the year?

Just some thoughts...
~Nick