An Asset, not a Commodity
The story of the martyrdom of St. Laurence is one that has always stuck with me. The story goes that when Roman authorities demanded he hand over the treasures of the Church, he brought with him widows and orphans, and said, "These are the treasures of the Church". It may seem that Laurence was being cheeky with the authorities, and perhaps he was. The authorities thought so, and put him to a gruesome death. But Laurence was not wrong, either. People are the true treasures of the Church. Stock Lines I have a few stock lines that I use regularly. One is that I am in the people business. Another is that our people, particularly clergy, should be viewed as an asset and not a commodity. It is important to remember this is not only true of clergy, but really anyone who is in professional ministry, from musicians to administrative staff. However, being clergy, I most know my own profession and can speak from my profession. It is also true that when it comes to profession