A Conundrum

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

No, that's not right.

What would you do in this situation?

(Disclaimer: if you are reading this, and thinking, "Is she talking about me?" I am not. The hypothetical person (who is actually not hypothetical) has never read this blog, as far as I know. We'll call this person P (for "person"), and I will use the pronoun "he" because my mother taught me good grammar.)

P sent me an email in which he describes a project which he considers would be something good to set underway in our church. P is correct; it is a wonderful idea, and I have considered similar projects, but haven't set any in motion. It's not the PROJECT which presents the conundrum.

P has (and I can tell this from the email) "requested" this project before, although I don't know of whom it was requested. P tells me that it would be a "perfect project" for the committee of which I am the chairman. Since other churches have done it, we could copy them and institute it easily within our own congregation (easily being my impression of what P thinks, not what he says). The theory is that we can copy it, and thus not have to start from scratch.

I am biting my tounge (or putting my hands in my pockets, since this was an email) because what I want to say is, "It is a wonderful idea. Would you like to set it in motion? We will give you whatever support you need." I really don't think P wants to DO it; I think P wants to have it set in motion.

So, my conundrum:

1. If I say what I want to say (or type what I want to type), I do not think P will respond positively. I think P would think I am being rude. Maybe I am misjudging P. I don't know him very well. I think P would think it is rude because I feel rude when I say it. Maybe I am imagining the superior tone of the note, and that is making me feel rude.
2. My committee is facing some tough challenges right now. The next few months are going to be difficult -- full of hard work and volunteer recruiting efforts. We (and I) will be doing things that we have never done before, and have no experience in doing. I am not sure this that is a time for a totally new project. As I mentioned, I have thougth of doing what P suggests before, but haven't introduced it to the committee because of our other obligations. I worry that introducing this project into the committee's list of THINGS TO DO would either mean it would not get done well, or that it would distract from other items which must be done.
3. As I said, it is a good idea. Maybe this is God saying -- do this!
4. Part of the job of our committee as I see it, is opening doors for the people in our church to share their talents. Maybe God is telling P to do this, and by my not suggesting it, I am getting in the way.

Argh. "All right, fine, I'll go pray," she says in a huff and stomps off.