Is money really the issue?

My friend Margaret Marcuson who writes on church leadership, said in a recent blog:

It’s no secret that many churches and pastors are worried about money nowadays. But Edwin Friedman used to say, “The issue is never the issue.” He meant that issues and problems which are perennial in church life, or the latest hot-button challenge, are really primarily a focus for people’s anxiety. We live in highly anxious times, and there’s a lot of free-floating anxiety around. Somehow we attach it to certain issues. In church life a few are favorites: music, children and youth ministry. And, of course, money. As one pastor said, “There always seems to be an exclamation point when money is involved.”
Of course there are genuine financial challenges that must be faced. Bills must be paid. Staff must receive their salaries. The endowment must be managed. Budgeting must be done (and sometimes cuts must be made). But if we can delete that exclamation point and stay calm even when others are anxious, we’ll provide better leadership and the church will make better decisions about financial matters.

One of the things that is especially true about this year is that I have to deal with money issues. Not the kind you are thinking... More along the lines of "spend it, because I may not get to 64, or save it because I may get to 93." I think Margaret's last point is well made. There are bills to be paid, and budgeting must be done, but there's also a party to plan, and this year I'm resolved to not be anxious about it. We'll see how that goes as the year progresses.

That also goes for the wine closet, and so this year is a year we're going to be drinking a lot of the "saved" "good stuff." Last night's menu: turkey burgers. Wine: 2004 Preston Syriah-Sirah. Great wine, but a little young yet. We've got another bottle, and it would be exceptional in about a decade.