Randy Wray’s Blog

I’ve been reading my latest edition of REV magazine, a trade publication for ministers, and would like you to weigh in on something.  One of the columns, entitled "view from the pew" allows members of the lay community (non-professional ministry members) to express their opinions on varying subjects. 

The title of this edition was "Let’s Not Stand and Greet Our Neighbor."  In this article the writer has nothing positive to say about the time in an assembly whereinwhich participants are asked to stand and greet someone next to them.  He refers to it as "the most dreaded time of any church service."  He writes:  "If it were up to me and every other parishoner I’ve talked to about this, we’d put a moratorium on "meet and greet" moments at church." He then proceeds to list everything he does not like about "meet and greet" and compares experiences in other venues of life (restaurants, airplanes) and how no other venue requires this.

Thoughts?  My first impression was to think seriously about what he was saying.  I want to be sensitive to elements of our corporate gathering that are not edifying and encouraging.

I’ve heard people complain about "meet and greet" before but their complaints have centered on their opinion that it was not an act of worship and thus should be excluded from the bookends of prayer (opening and closing).  Because we all know that acceptable worship that doesn’t bring down fire from heaven happens between the opening and closing prayer.

I’ve been trying to look at this issue objectively and take into consideration what he has to say.  I don’t want to taint the jury but the more I read the article the more it bothered me.  Especially the part "if it were up to me and every other parishoner I’ve talked to about this."  I know how we are.  We usually talk to the people who think like us.  Besides it would be easy to find the ANTI MEET AND GREETERS because they are the ones during the meet and greet that are not meeting and greeting.

 He says the meet and greet takes away dignity and sets people up to be uncomfortable.  He says it is not a meaningful time of fellowship just a superficial exercise of hand shaking.  It does not build community and does not promote love.  Wow.  Here I thought we were just trying to teach people the value of saying hello to someone else.

What of it?  What have I missed?  Talk to me about the meet and greet!