The Ministry of Many Small Things

by Ida Williams
with a Reflection by Brother Marc

Following our June dog training workshop, a conversation arose around the kitchen table about the many different roles required to support the life and hospitality of the monastery.

As we reflected on the week, I found myself sharing something I often say when people ask about the variety of my responsibilities:

"The diversity of my duties is one of the things I love most about my job. Otherwise, I'd get bored."

Later that evening, I found myself thinking more deeply about that response and realizing there is a kind of circle at work in my life here at New Skete:

I love my job because I do so many different things.

I do so many different things because I love my job.

At first glance, my work often changes from one hour to the next. A morning might begin with communications, shift to preparations for an upcoming workshop, include questions from prospective guests, and end with updating information for our website.

Yet over time I have come to realize that these seemingly unrelated tasks share a common purpose: extending the hospitality of New Skete.

When people visit the monastery, they rarely see the individual tasks that happen behind the scenes.

Instead, they experience the result.

They feel welcomed.

That reality became especially clear during last week's workshop. While the primary purpose of the week was dog training, many participants spoke about something larger. They commented on the warmth of the community, the conversations with the brothers, the beauty of the grounds, the atmosphere of the monastery, and, of course, the meals shared together.

One participant wrote:

"A thousand thanks for your wonderful care and hospitality during last week's dog training session... The week in its entirety is an extraordinary act of generosity on everyone's part at New Skete."

Another reflected:

"Beyond the training itself ... the entire workshop was a joy. The care and attention from you and everyone on staff, the conversations with the brothers, the atmosphere and the physical environment, and the food were all far more than I expected."

What touched me most about these comments was that they were not directed toward any one person or any one task. Rather, they reflected an experience of hospitality created by many people working together.

Hospitality was expressed in many different ways throughout the week. Brother Christopher and Marc Goldberg shared their knowledge and experience. Tom and Sarah supported participants during training sessions. Brother Brennan, Brother Luke, and Brother Ambrose took time to engage guests throughout the week. Brother Marc oversaw kitchen operations while Josh and dedicated volunteers prepared wonderful meals. Brother Gregory coordinated guest accommodations. Countless others contributed in ways both visible and unseen.

Each contribution may seem small when viewed by itself, yet together they create an environment where people feel welcomed, cared for, and at peace.

This is something monastic communities have understood for centuries.

Hospitality is rarely a single grand gesture. More often, it is a hundred small acts of attention, care, and service woven together so seamlessly that guests simply feel at home.

Perhaps that is why I continue to find such joy in the work entrusted to me.  Each email, each event, each webpage, each workshop, each detail becomes one small part of something much larger than itself.  Each task is another opportunity to extend the welcome of the monastery to those who visit us.

The work itself is not the goal.

The welcome created by the work is the goal.

And that is the ministry of many small things.

—Ida Williams

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A Monastic Reflection

A basic Christian monastic motto and rule is “Pray and work!”--“Ora et labora” in traditional Latin. Informally I often just say “Work and pray.” This ancient principle has served us well, especially in today’s complicated and busy world. It defines a sound and healthy way of living our way of life. Its message describes the fundamental balance in the lives of monks and nuns of both the Christian East and West--since the 3^rd century.

I’ve also heard the saying “Pray as though everything depends on God, and work as though everything depends on you!” Overly simplified, maybe, but this is a useful reminder to me when I am immersed in too many activities.

It has helped me keep in touch with my previous good intentions and ideals while standing on the firm ground of practical considerations, limitations, and uncertainties. It has helped me focus on the task at hand and not worry about the final outcome. It says to ask for help when needed. Both of these inspire me to pay attention to relationships and love of God and neighbor. They also remind me of our mutual need for cooperation with one another and appreciation for the efforts of those who came before us and on whose shoulders we stand. These two sayings help me find a balance between the necessities and struggles of our daily challenges and the joys and delights of the life we share here at New Skete.

 

—Brother Marc