A Whiteboard Stands on a Wooden Tripod in the Woods...

One of the first retreats I helped organize was at Little Bennett Park. A bunch of us were to have a workshop in the woods and then a campfire and singing. We were also suppose to have games too.

Bob Johnsen the presenter of the workshop set up the whiteboard and I could see people looking at each other and saying "wait a minute I thought we were going to have fun"...

Bob drew three concentric circles and said "the outer circle are visitors and people who attend the services and are people who are new to the congregations; and odds are they are new to Unitarian Univeralism; they are often passive participants. The next circle are people who actively join committees, or help on fundraisers, or join the choir, or teach RE, or help in the worship service; or help on the newsletter; or help with social justice and community out reach programs. The inner circle the bullseye are the leaders; the people who are on the board; and the lay leaders"...

While Bob spoke someone said "What happens next? Where do the people in the inner circle go?";

and, someone else said "Oh they burn out and leave"..

Bob's next question cut through the side discussion: "What do we call these people? What name do we give these people?" I believe Bob spoke of the inner circle.

I think at that moment Chuck said without missing a beat: "George"... Chuck would not miss a beat because he's an awesome musician and he once sang the song by Tom Waits called "Step Right Up". If you know the song then you are in profound awe right now...

And that became the shorthand for anyone who got burned out and the only way they saw to escape the concentric circles was to run screaming into the night.

They become "George"...

Of course people may also have left because they had to move, or they found another path, or they liked watching cartoons on Sunday morning; but i digress.

Here's the point: if we had to chose between you leave because you did not want to become a member; or you leave because you burn out; or you stay as a friend; then we would always chose that you stay as a friend...

The free and responsible search for truth and meaning is a marathon; please pace yourself. Remember you are not alone; we are here to support each other; there are others here to help. Slow down when you have to...

Please note: we did have a great time singing songs and eating somemores that night. And subsequent retreats were very much skewed towards fun...

Thanks! & take care & be well,