Friday Five: Gifts and Talents

Posted at RevGalBlogPals by Sally

Our Circuit (Methodist) is having a "Gifts and talents day" tomorrow- we have a minister visiting from another circuit who has modified the Myers Briggs personality test and added a few things of his own to run a day where we get to look at ourselves in the light of giftings and of the whole church. The idea is to encourage everyone with the news that there is room for you in the ministry of the church- and perhaps to discover where that ministry might be.....
It should be an interesting day, and one where I hope people will leave feeling encouraged and challenged...
So with gifts and talents in mind here is todays Friday 5;

1. Personality tests; love them or hate them?

I think they're fun, as long as they don't get too bogged down. I don't take them particularly seriously though. I also think most of them are a little too easy to manipulate.

2. Would you describe yourself as practical, creative, intellectual or a mixture ?

Definitely a mixture. Very creative, certainly intellectual in the sense that I love learning. I could easily become a perpetual student. And a little bit practical-mostly because I'm the one who has to take care of the household: bills, child, animals, meals, shopping, etc. If I didn't have all that, I'd certainly be less so, wanting to take off and be impulsive, doing things like eating out all the time, buying lots of gadgets and shoes I don't need, being a lot more selfish.

3. It is said that everyone has their 15 minutes of fame; have you had yours yet? If so what was it? If not, dream away; what would you like it to be?

I'm not sure. I did get my face up on the big screens at a General Assembly way back when I was about 17. I did have a few strangers recognize me afterwards. But really, I'd like to publish some day. I'm not sure in what genre though. I always wanted to write and illustrate my own children's book. There are so few good children's religious books that aren't just retelling Bible stories. (If you are looking for some though, Jewish Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso has written several that are wonderful!)

4. If you were given a 2 year sabatical ( oh the dream of it) to create something, would it be music, literature, art.....something completely different...share your dream with us...

Oh! It would be art. I have just picked up my sketching and watercolors again. I just finished a pencil sketch of a photo of P and L taking a nap together. I would love to travel and sketch and paint all the places I go. I'd love to take some lessons to learn more and maybe pick up another medium-I'd love to learn to throw pottery!

5. Describe a talent you would like to develop, but that seems completely beyond you.

I would love to be a really great photographer. I take good pictures now, but I just don't have the "eye" for great photos. I also get really confused with all of the shutter speed and aperature settings and the little things that make for really great pictures. Not to metion, I don't have the $$$ to get a good camera and lenses right now. (I'd love one of those relatively new Nikon D40 DSLRs.)

Bonus question: Back to the church- what does every member ministry mean to you? Is it truly possible to encourage/ implement?

I totally think it's possible. I absolutely believe in "the priesthood of all believers." I think one of the biggest parts of my job as a minster is to facilitate congregation members in discovering and using their particular gifts and talents to better serve Christ and the world. When people learn where their talents lie and how to best put them to use, they often are infused with that passion that makes them actually want to serve.