Regular readers have already been subjected to a couple of diatribes about the micromanaging RS pres. Of course, that won't stop me from waxing cranky about last night's presidency meeting.
We did the usual review of ward members, what direction we're going with various programs and what we'll do for our next Enrichment meeting. Then the RS pres handed us an 8-page packet of things she'd written on various Important Topics that she wanted to put into the RS Newsletter (AKA the bane of my secretarial existence).
Even though it's only been in existence for 2 issues, the RS pres says she "doesn't get much out of the newsletter" and wants to make it more Spirchul. She also wants to start up a Pursuit of Excellence program--essentially Personal Progress for grownups. Maybe it's my California Mormon upbringing, but I can't say I've had spiritual epiphanies from reading a RS newsletter or setting goals.
Anyway, RS pres laid this 8-page Manifesta on us and then started packing things up to leave without clarifying what was supposed to happen with the April newsletter.
I raised my hand grade school style to ask a few questions--what part(s) will go into our TWO PAGE newsletter? "I know you're not going to like this" she says, but she wanted to put ALL of it in there--money management, getting out of debt, food storage, preparedness. Eight pages worth.
It can't ALL fit, I say; how about using one topic each month? Nope. This is important, you can use the money information, everyone can. (Raise hand again). That's true, I say, but we have limited space in the newsletter. Her answer: move everything else to the calendar. (Raise hand) The calendar gets crowded when there are 2 activities on the same day. Again, there's only so much I can fit there.
She natters on about maybe doing a booklet (?) and I still don't understand what she wants to do about April's fetching newsletter, so I raise my hand again. We're talking about a major overhaul--and one that I'm still not clear on. What if we do April's newsletter as usual, discuss these changes in more depth and shoot for an overhauled newsletter for May?
At that point, we were interrupted by the Ed. counselor's husband and in-laws. So RS pres said we'd talk and we quickly wrapped up.
I'm sure my questions came across as combative, despite my attempts at humor. I'm not that attached to the Newsletter, but if we're going to make significant changes, I'd like to understand 1) why and 2) what "we" hope to achieve by making them.
Is it to better serve the women in the ward? Or is it to better serve the RS pres' vision? And if she can't communicate her vision clearly to me so I know what to DO, then maybe she should just do it herself.
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4 comments:
*Raises hand grade-school style*
I have a question: Why are you still doing her stupid newsletter? If her vision is so lofty, she should do it herself.
Also, I don't like jobs of any kind that contain the word "SECRETARY"! Hmph.
She's a big-old bossy betty. Go mormon-style passive-aggressive on her and start "missing" deadlines and doing the newsletter however you want to do it.
Just a thought. :-)
Well, if we don't get together and talk about The Vision in the next week, there ain't gonna BE an April newsletter.
I did offload one annoying task--getting prayers for RS. Last week, I ran late to RS and they were peeved because I didn't have the prayers filled in before I got there and we were already starting late.
I pointed out I can't ask people to pray earlier because I never know who's staying through the last meeting (tremendous post-SS exodus, including the SP's wife).
So they said just fill out announcements & music and the person conducting will get the prayers. Which is 1) fine by me and 2) what should have been happening all along.
Egads!! Can we say "Control Freak"?? No one wants to read an eight page newsletter of anything, let alone a newsletter with eight pages of church crap.
Tell the RS, if she wants to give people an article on money management, spiritual awareness, personal progress, etc., etc., she should encourage the sistern to read their monthly Ensign. That's what it's published for.
If she's off rewriting what's already being written in church pubs, she must really think she's the cat's meow when it comes to presuming that her insights and spirituality should be thrust onto others for their supposed edification.
Gag. I say find a reference to each of her articles in the past 12 months of the Ensign and then write, "Sister RS President feels strongly we should be minding our finances. See Elder Packer's talk/article in the May 2006 Ensign, page 27 for more on this topic." That'll put her in her uppity place.
Plechy.
Most of the 8 pages WAS regurgitated Ensign or quoted scripture with some breathy commentary in between. Aaaahhhhh!
My strong reaction has me wondering: am I like this? Is this why the control freak/do it my way advocacy is getting SO under my skin?
I like to think I'm reasonable and/or can be reasoned with. I don't think I shout down new ideas for sport or suggest massive changes without there being some purpose behind it.
I'm glad it's conference tomorrow; I need the day off.
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