Time for Tea
I wonder if you have ever heard, said, or thought any of the following: “There is so much to do and so little time;” “there just aren’t enough hours in the day;” “either you run the day or the day runs you.” Frequently it seems that we are strictly beholden to our watches. We want to ensure that we don’t waste any time, always working to achieve the next goal.
My friend and I were leading a mission trip in Kenya. Knowing that we had much we wanted to accomplish and limited time in the country to do it, we were becoming increasingly frustrated with the daily ritual of afternoon tea. At around 3pm each day, everything would stop for 20 minutes or so to enjoy a cup of tea and some biscuits. We would politely accept though in our heads we were thinking, “what a waste of time.”
Yet, we began to understand how Kenyan’s view of the value of time was different than our own. They found the relationships that developed during “tea time” just as valuable as the work we were trying to accomplish. It was a powerful lesson. We even tried to initiate “tea time” when we got back to the U.S. but it didn’t last. The motivation wasn’t there and no one else was willing to join us in this regular “waste of time.”
Life is busy, even hectic and chaotic at times. Between work and family commitments we often have little energy left. It can be difficult to set aside time to do the things we should be doing because there are so many things we have to do. Squeezing in church or ministry commitments is just one more thing added to the list. I am always amazed when I see people willing to share themselves to serve in the church in the midst of already full lives, choosing to work for a greater good.
I was challenged by the following quote recently - “there is a future that mourns if we don’t step forward courageously and use our lives on behalf of the greater good.”[1] As hard as it is sometimes, I believe the greater good includes serving others in multiple ways, providing support to those in need, demonstrating God’s love for all people, and yes, even the occasional afternoon tea.
The other night I joined with the RPC pastors and elders to hear the faith statements shared by the new class of ruling elders being ordained to serve for the next three years. The testimonies were powerful and demonstrated the diverse means God uses to draw people into a relationship with Jesus. I wish the entire congregation could have heard them all.
These are people who have chosen to bless the ministry of RPC through their time, talents, and leadership. Somehow, they have managed to make the greater good a priority even though I am certain there are multiple other demands on their time. I hope to get to know them over a cup of tea, hear aspects of their spiritual journeys and learn from them. I hope you’ll join me.
[1] Lewis, Stephen, et al. Another Way: Living & Leading Change on Purpose. P. 8. Chalice Press, 2020.
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Dan Kreiss, RPC’s new Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach, brings with him a heart for service and a diverse array of experiences in the mission field. Be sure to subscribe to the Mission Outreach Blog to read and follow along as he documents his personal journey and shares his vision for RPC’s mission outreach commitment. Along with providing meaningful resources, this blog will help jumpstart the important conversations our church community must be having about missional living.
Dan Kreiss
Rev. Dr. Dan Kreiss is the Associate Pastor for Mission Outreach at RPC. Dan is particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in its surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education and economic status.