Thursday 6 March 2014

PEBCAC

The very last thing I have to do as PCC secretary in our church before I hand over with wild joy and exhilaration is produce the huge meeting document for the APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting).  This extensive piece of paperwork contains reports from all aspects of church life.  Because of the length of time it takes to get them in, format them, collate them, and print them off, all in time to be available a fortnight before the meeting, I have to start sending out reminders in January to people who every year have to send in their reports at this time but do nothing unless reminded.

Some people, even if reminded, ignore the deadline which was the last day of February this year. 

So I had a phone call this morning.


Caller:  “I haven’t had a reminder to send in my report for the APCM.”

Me: “I have sent you two reminders.”

Caller: “Oh?  Well, I haven’t received them.”

Me: “The deadline was last Friday but as I am still waiting for some people whose reports are in late, I can still add yours in if you send it in today.  Do you still have my email address?”

Caller: “No.”

Me: “Do you have a pen and paper to hand?  Yes?  Well, here it is.  Okay, I’ll say it for you first, then spell it for you, then say it again to check you’ve got it.  Are you ready?  Here we go.” 

[I spell it out with lots of s-for-sugar, b-for-bertie, m-for-mother etc to make sure my friend cannot possibly get it wrong, then read it back to check it has been correctly transcribed and make them affirm that it has.]

Me: “Okay, well if you send it in today I can include it.  But I did send two reminders to the address I had last year.”

Caller: “Oh, well I have changed my email address.”


Right. That’ll be the problem, then.  No wonder you didn’t receive my emails. 

It is Lent, so I will express no opinion about this conversation.


25 comments:

Patricia said...

But I bet you you wanted to. It made me chuckle.

BLD in MT said...

Oh, you make me smile....

Pilgrim said...

You know, that is totally the most important point I got out of Breath of Peace---choosing to hold one's tongue, Madeleine, in that case. I am trying to do something related for Lent, and really doubt I will be successful. It is one of the hardest things ever.

Pen Wilcock said...

Hi Beth! Waving! xx

Hi Pilgrim - yes, it's an art form, I guess! xx

Hawthorne said...

I suggest a non-verbal way to express your opinion, such as banging your head against a brick wall - or, better stiil, banging THEIR head against said wall! ;-)

gretchen said...

does hysterical laughter count as an opinion?

Pen Wilcock said...

:0D

Hi friends!

xx

rebecca said...

You are G as in grasshopper, O as in ostrich, O as in opossum, D as in delicate!

Pen Wilcock said...

Hahaha - I love this blog! xx

Lynda said...

Thank you for allowing us to form our own opinion :))

xx

Rapunzel said...

People are funny. Even when we just want to shake them, they're funny. That's an opinion, but it sounds like a fact.

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) Hello, friends! Waving! xx

Anonymous said...

“It is Lent, so I will express no opinion about this conversation.”

Hahahahaha. :D

Didn't you know, Pen? Some of our brothers and sisters in Christ expect us to have the spiritual gift of MIND-READING! :p

No, I know St Paul didn't ever mention this gift - he talked instead about words of knowledge and prophecy, not QUITE the same thing - but since when did that deter certain brothers and sisters in Christ from actually seeming to believe in this strangely elusive gift? ;)

Learning to keep one's mouth shut in certain situations can be hard, so hard ... but Jesus knows best.

More patience with others is much needed on my part - after all, He is infinitely patient with ME.

- Philippa

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) xx

Sandra Ann said...

Smiling and waving xxx

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) Wavin' right back atcha! xx

Anonymous said...

I LOVE LEMON PUFFS! It is necessary to have a drink handy if you are going to eat more than...erm 1/2 a packet in one sitting :-D

Anonymous said...

I love sweet sherry too and have done since I was small. Harvey's Bristol Cream is the best but if white wine has bubbles in then I like it dry...don't like sweet white wine, anything above a 3 is plain icky :-D

I shall have all the opinions you aren't having :-D

Pen Wilcock said...

:0D Heheh - i'll look forward to that! x

Susie said...

Hi sorry to mail again but God is doing amazing healing in me with your book. For example this morning I was having a flashback of my torturer whipping me with a spike whip . I start today's chapter and get to page 25 and my jaw drops. Plus all the scriptures keep reinforcing my faith.

Susie said...

Have trouble with comments box!
If you would like to share my journey with your book happy to. Torture is a little discussed and almost taboo subject and to have found writing that addresses it so precisely and spiritually makes my heart sing! I am a cheerful soul anyway but the shadowlands are being chased out by your writing and a lot of love. I have been loved better by both God and my friends . It has taken seven long years but worth every step and your contribution is delightful . Preaching next Sunday so hope I can quote you!

Susie said...

Truth is agony and does break you . Nails hammered in is my reality and Jesus reality. Moments of being honoured to have shared this and others of not being able to cope. Period of the communion cup just feeling like my own blood I was forced to drink but then a privileged union with Christ . By his stripes we are healed - so glibly said by some. I know the reality. Privilege or pain? I am still here and I still love Him . He is my all in all

Susie said...

I chose Jesus as the only person I could trust aged 5 post rape. He has proved to be completely trustworthy . He has also provided the human love I need from miraculous sources and brought me life in all its fullness but didn't prevent 30years of rape and torture - the paradox of God and inspite of the suffering I adore him and perhaps because of it he blesses me over and over again . I am the most fortunate of his daughters.

Pen Wilcock said...

Susie - thank you so much for writing. What you say here seems so personal that I have a concern lest you did not intend it for publication. If you did not, comment again telling me so, because I can always remove your comments if you prefer. I'm grateful that the Wilderness book is helping - may your healing continue and be deep and complete. And I rejoice in what you said: "I chose Jesus as the only person I could trust." What a wise choice you made. God bless you. Thank you for getting in touch xx

Jenna said...

"No one sent me a bunch of reminders to send out the reminders." SMH