One of the other changes I was asked to make in February was to post office hours. Before, I figured someone could always ask when they wanted to speak with me at a set-aside time. I have the church cell with me 24/7, folks can call any time. However, apparently just saying that I'm in town Sundays and Mondays and some Tuesdays and am always available by phone wasn't working. Folks still didn't have a good sense of when I was around.
So, for eight weeks now I have posted office hours each week. There are a set two hours each week when I am in the church office. The first seven weeks no one came, and I got a lot of other church work done. This past week, with just half an hour left of the two hours, I had my first visitor.
He made it seem really casual, that he had just happened to stop by without realizing the day or the time. Mostly, he just wanted to chat: about his family, his work, his friends, and his struggles. He certainly made me feel good about myself; he told me that I'm funny and that he trusts me. For the most part, though, I think he just wanted to be heard. I hated that I had to cut him off after half an hour because people were about to start arriving for bible study.
Now that one person has come, are the flood gates open? Or will it remain just a trickle and a time for me to get work done?
good question. I wonder.
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