“Life is not so short but that there is always
time enough
for courtesy.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Okay, it was a full-blown “Oops!” Yet, I don’t
believe I was really to blame. Besides, it’s not my practice to yell at cute girls
when a wedding is taking place. The cute girl was (I hope you guessed this)
Jane. It was right outside the Mercantile Hall where my office is in the basement.
I’d just parked and Jane was coming out of Trendsetters after having her hair cut.
I saw her and yelled across the street, “Hey Cutie, want to go to lunch?”
I believe it was a Wednesday afternoon. I happened to look over my shoulder and fifteen feet away from me in the courtyard of Mercantile Hall with everyone facing me and the officiant with his back to me, a wedding was taking place. Oops! I’ve since encouraged the Mercantile to have weddings face the opposite direction so that the officiant is the only one seeing what’s taking place on the street, especially if men are loudly flirting with their wives. It was an innocent mistake and I am trying to be more careful.
Being considerate makes a big difference in relationships. It’s easy though, the longer you’re married, to forget basic thoughtfulness. The same thing can happen in a church family. Periodically, we need reminders to help make it better for everyone. Let me suggest a few…
Come a little early and linger a bit afterwards. Currently, we’re studying the One Another statements in the New Testament. It’s hard to live these out when you rush in, come late, or rush out. We designed our Charis Coffee Café to encourage conversations with others. So whether you sit in the Café or take your coffee in the gym, please engage in conversation with others. Use it as an opportunity to converse with those you either don’t know or don’t know well. Use it as an opportunity to pray that the Lord will use the service to work in your heart and the hearts of others. Pray for those involved in leading the worship, the AV Team, greeters, ushers, etc. Pray for me as I share God’s Word, that the message will be clear and God will use it in lives. After the service take time to interact with those around you and see how they are doing. If they’re struggling with something or need encouragement, encourage them or pray with them.
If the 1st service is still taking place and you arrive before it’s finished, please refrain from loud conversations while waiting. For security reasons, we now have an usher in the Café during each service. Though they’re sitting there, they’re seeking to listen and participate in the service. Then, sometimes someone is not feeling well or a parent with a young child will sit out there to listen to the service so their child won’t disturb others in the congregation. Please be thoughtful of them so they can listen to the service, even if you arrive early. Also, when the five-minute countdown begins for the service, come into the service. For some reason, every church struggles with a “foyer crowd,” i.e. those who come to worship but never quite end up coming into the worship service. We can set an example for others by being actively involved in worship as soon as we’re able and not linger in the cafe once the countdown has begun.
Consider leaving your phone in your car. Unless you use a Bible app to look up Scripture, ask yourself, “Do I really need my phone in the service?” Be unleashed from the technological tether! If you find that you’re tempted to check social media, leave it in the car. At least, have it silenced. And is there really a reason for a young person to have a phone at church? Parents pay for a phone so they can get in touch with them BUT if you’re sitting in the service with them…
Leave the back rows for families with children or late arrivals. For some reason in American culture, we want to sit in the front row at sporting events or concerts but in the back one at church. Does that make sense? It will help you listen better and those on the platform communicate better if people sit toward the front. Families with kids know that kids often act like kids, so they sit toward the back to avoid disturbing others. Then, sometimes someone is delayed or new to the church and arrives late. At Grace, we want to be thoughtful of newcomers and not make them do the “walk of shame” to sit at the front because those are the only seats left.
If it will be a blessing or encourage someone say it BUT if it really doesn’t need to be said… The One Another commands urge us to encourage, greet and pray for each other. Each Sunday, please look for opportunities to minister to others, and to touch their lives.
Yet we know we’re all sinners saved by grace and human. We make mistakes. You’ll find them in printed materials or with a musical note or who knows? Some have difficulty not pointing them out. Please don’t. Unless it truly makes a difference, like someone is in danger or it’s serious, let it go.
Also about the only heated discussion at Grace should be between Bears and Packer fans. At Grace. we simply do not talk about politics. No one is going to heaven because of who they voted for. Politics divide and alienate. We want to build bridges, not put up any cultural barriers to the gospel.
Leave your space ready for whoever is following you. We have two services. Before you leave, please pick up papers around you, straighten Bibles and the pen in the chair pocket. If you’re having a group activity, please make sure tables and chairs are put back, counters wiped and trashcans emptied. Our building is used nearly 24/7. Please be sure things are ready for those coming after you. Pick up trash in the parking lot or in the landscaping or even on the floor of the bathroom. Take a paper towel and wipe up the water on the bathroom counter. Someone is always coming after us. Let’s leave it ready for them.
Come anticipating worshiping our Savior together! Sunday is the only time our church family sings together, prays together, studies God’s Word together, and focuses on eternity together. Each Sunday let’s pray and seek to have a bigger view of our awesome God and the real world, eternity!
I believe it was a Wednesday afternoon. I happened to look over my shoulder and fifteen feet away from me in the courtyard of Mercantile Hall with everyone facing me and the officiant with his back to me, a wedding was taking place. Oops! I’ve since encouraged the Mercantile to have weddings face the opposite direction so that the officiant is the only one seeing what’s taking place on the street, especially if men are loudly flirting with their wives. It was an innocent mistake and I am trying to be more careful.
Being considerate makes a big difference in relationships. It’s easy though, the longer you’re married, to forget basic thoughtfulness. The same thing can happen in a church family. Periodically, we need reminders to help make it better for everyone. Let me suggest a few…
Come a little early and linger a bit afterwards. Currently, we’re studying the One Another statements in the New Testament. It’s hard to live these out when you rush in, come late, or rush out. We designed our Charis Coffee Café to encourage conversations with others. So whether you sit in the Café or take your coffee in the gym, please engage in conversation with others. Use it as an opportunity to converse with those you either don’t know or don’t know well. Use it as an opportunity to pray that the Lord will use the service to work in your heart and the hearts of others. Pray for those involved in leading the worship, the AV Team, greeters, ushers, etc. Pray for me as I share God’s Word, that the message will be clear and God will use it in lives. After the service take time to interact with those around you and see how they are doing. If they’re struggling with something or need encouragement, encourage them or pray with them.
If the 1st service is still taking place and you arrive before it’s finished, please refrain from loud conversations while waiting. For security reasons, we now have an usher in the Café during each service. Though they’re sitting there, they’re seeking to listen and participate in the service. Then, sometimes someone is not feeling well or a parent with a young child will sit out there to listen to the service so their child won’t disturb others in the congregation. Please be thoughtful of them so they can listen to the service, even if you arrive early. Also, when the five-minute countdown begins for the service, come into the service. For some reason, every church struggles with a “foyer crowd,” i.e. those who come to worship but never quite end up coming into the worship service. We can set an example for others by being actively involved in worship as soon as we’re able and not linger in the cafe once the countdown has begun.
Consider leaving your phone in your car. Unless you use a Bible app to look up Scripture, ask yourself, “Do I really need my phone in the service?” Be unleashed from the technological tether! If you find that you’re tempted to check social media, leave it in the car. At least, have it silenced. And is there really a reason for a young person to have a phone at church? Parents pay for a phone so they can get in touch with them BUT if you’re sitting in the service with them…
Leave the back rows for families with children or late arrivals. For some reason in American culture, we want to sit in the front row at sporting events or concerts but in the back one at church. Does that make sense? It will help you listen better and those on the platform communicate better if people sit toward the front. Families with kids know that kids often act like kids, so they sit toward the back to avoid disturbing others. Then, sometimes someone is delayed or new to the church and arrives late. At Grace, we want to be thoughtful of newcomers and not make them do the “walk of shame” to sit at the front because those are the only seats left.
If it will be a blessing or encourage someone say it BUT if it really doesn’t need to be said… The One Another commands urge us to encourage, greet and pray for each other. Each Sunday, please look for opportunities to minister to others, and to touch their lives.
Yet we know we’re all sinners saved by grace and human. We make mistakes. You’ll find them in printed materials or with a musical note or who knows? Some have difficulty not pointing them out. Please don’t. Unless it truly makes a difference, like someone is in danger or it’s serious, let it go.
Also about the only heated discussion at Grace should be between Bears and Packer fans. At Grace. we simply do not talk about politics. No one is going to heaven because of who they voted for. Politics divide and alienate. We want to build bridges, not put up any cultural barriers to the gospel.
Leave your space ready for whoever is following you. We have two services. Before you leave, please pick up papers around you, straighten Bibles and the pen in the chair pocket. If you’re having a group activity, please make sure tables and chairs are put back, counters wiped and trashcans emptied. Our building is used nearly 24/7. Please be sure things are ready for those coming after you. Pick up trash in the parking lot or in the landscaping or even on the floor of the bathroom. Take a paper towel and wipe up the water on the bathroom counter. Someone is always coming after us. Let’s leave it ready for them.
Come anticipating worshiping our Savior together! Sunday is the only time our church family sings together, prays together, studies God’s Word together, and focuses on eternity together. Each Sunday let’s pray and seek to have a bigger view of our awesome God and the real world, eternity!
Can
we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web
page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more
about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus
changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org
to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.
No comments:
Post a Comment