29 Aug 06 Amusing Signs
If you are keeping score at home the vote regarding the MEET AND GREET is 3 to 2 against and 1 either way. For those of you who have not yet weighed in I’d love to hear from you.
There is a car in our neighborhood that has a large decal which proudly proclaims: "This car is powered by the Holy Ghost." I wonder what kind of ghost mileage it gets?
The Greek Orthodox Church, just down the street from us, is having a Greek Food Festival. They have large, colorful signs all over the front of their property advertising this event. The Greek Food Festival at the Greek Orthodox Church, as the sign declare, is proudly sponsored by Coors and Coors Light. Shouldn’t the festival be sponsored by Mythos? In any case, that’s being powered by the spirit, several of them.
It reminded me of the time I saw a fund raising booth in the parking lot of a store. The American Lung Society was selling candy to raise money. I thought it would be appropriate for The American Diabetes Association to to put a booth right next to the ALS and sell tobacco products.
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Actually, I think Coors was started by a Greek Mountain Man… What time are they serving dinner?
No comment on the Meet and Greet thing…
Becoming a member of that church would be a long commute from Texas. I know the local Coors distributor, I’ll see if they sponsor any local houses of the holy.
As for Meet and Greet, we have attended the largest CoC in town a couple of times. Both times no one said “hi”, “bye” or anything to us. Maybe a Meet and Greet would have opened a door or an opportunity to learn more about that congregation. What I do know is that we do not have plans to return.
What if it turns out that Mythos is the AntiChrist?
Having just moved halfway across the country and settled on a new “church home” I think I’m qualified to say Warren’s theory is junk.
If members, and the minister, don’t make a point of greeting “guests” those guests will leave thinking that church is unfriendly and inward focused. If a congregation is happy with the status quo and doesn’t want any fresh faces then by all means let those visitors remain invisible. They will likely go elsewhere.
What sold us on Arlington was one person sitting down to answer my questions about the congregation and instantly making it feel like we were already being welcomed into the family. Without him approaching me with a welcoming attitude we would have kept looking longer and might have wound up worshipping elsewhere.
So, whether you have “meet & greet” time or not, somebody needs to make it their mission to ensure those guests are welcomed and made to feel valuable.
James
Lesser known fact, the Red Cross distributed cigarettes to the troops in WWII. “I think I can save your arm Johnny, but let’s get to work destroying those lungs, what do you say?”
If that car also had one of those “Warning, in case of Rapture this vehicle will be unoccupied” bumper stickers on it, what would happen? Would the people inside disappear and the car just keep going until it smashed into some poor unraptured soul? Does the Holy Ghost steer? I think the solution is to add a “Jesus is my co-pilot” bumper sticker so he can grab the wheel in case of rapture, because I think a car powered by the Holy Spirit could really do some damage.
Something to think about before you just go slapping any old sticker on the back of your car.
I’ll vote “no” on the “Meet and Greet.” We have a 30 minute fellowship time between Sunday School and Worship.
The Greek Orthodox Church Festival being sponsored by Coors brings new meaning to “BYOB.†In our case that would be “Bring Your Own Bible.â€
Hey now, back off the candy thing. Candy doesn’t cause diabetes the same way smoking causes lung cancer. Leave my candy alone.
One thing that is important to differentiate is what market you are referring to when you say “guest”. The classical church of christ model is to thing traveling or newly relocated c of c member. What about those who are trying church for the first time? Since Rick Warren built his congregation with 80% of his members coming from an unchurched background, I can see how his theory would be applicable. For those of us lifers, however, we celebrate with meet and greet as a mutual recognition of our heritage.
Randy -
I’m voting with the NO crowd for all of the reasons they give and then some, actually. I definitely believe we should “meet and greet”, but it needs to be somewhere else. How about out in the foyer by the doors when they walk in on a one on one basis, perhaps.
How about being friendly to all whether we know them or not, whether they know us or not. Just being friendly.
I’ve not commented here before, but this topic hits a nerve with me at the moment because I just moved back to this town - and church (I think - I’m reserving judgment so far, although this is the only c of C for 20 miles away in the next town across the state line) - and here’s my experience so far.
I’ve now been able to attend I think 6 times on Sundays, including Bible classes and the last two both morning and evening. When I had been here 4 Sundays, I could still count on one hand the number of members here who had come up to introduce themselves or to meet me or find out who I was and/or why I was there, how I got there, was I a Christian, was I looking for a church home, was I wanting to BE a Christian - other than those people who already knew me.
This included walking into a Bible class of 16 (I counted) “cold” with a smile on my face, asking if they had room for one more, speaking up during the discussion, sitting there smiling for 2 or 3 minutes after class - all without ONE person, including the elder teaching the class - ever saying ONE WORD to me or to acknowledge my prescence in any way.
Friends - I find that appalling. I heard sermons and talk of going out and converting the lost, reaching out to “the world,” etc, when the vast majority of the members, including elders and deacons who I didn’t already know, didn’t even extend even small courtesies to someone walking in their door coming to them!
My first (rational) inclination is to walk out the door and never look back and I wonder - just wonder - how many seekers have already done that here. But my spiritual inclination is to stay and try to promote more positive thinking and attitudes that convert into behavior.
I don’t thnk “meet and greet” does that. All I’ve been part of and have seen have been very artificial, embarassing to visitors (or guests, whatever) and members and is a waste of time.
For those of you leading worship - have everyone stand to sing when you start the service or whenever things get in a lull. That helps a lot, as some of you have said, just to get the blood flowing and to work out the kinks. Try calling on your members to sing out and lead songs that have a little more spirit in them to get them going. Talk with them about what “mood,” if you will, you want everyone to have as they sing. In otherwords, get them thinking about what they are doing as they pariticipate. Get them to actively participate. (Does any of this make any sense to anyone here? Ring any bells? What do you all think?)
I’ve been to churches in several places where the leadership had volunteers and they themselves were “greeters,” if you will, to greet all who come in, help them to find a place to sit or a Bible class for themselves and/or their children, etc, and who were very friendly and outgoing and helpful.
Good grief - Wal-Mart puts US to shame. Most of those greeters are lovely people, I’ve found. More so than in many churches I’ve been to as a “guest.”
If I see anyone I don’t know or can’t remember their name or know where I know them from, I walk up to them and introduce myself and say “I don’t know if I’ve met you or not . . .” or “Hi, I’m Dee Andrews, I’m afraid I don’t remember your name . . . (if I know their face)” and so on.
I know - a lot of us are not so outgoing. I understand that and I am definitely NOT a small talk, life of the party type person. But I AM interested in people and can talk with just about anyone on a one on one basis and that is where Christians are made and kept - I think. No?
Those are my thoughts this lovely afternoon from here in south Mississippi in Katrina Zone. For what they are worth.
Cheers! Dee Andrews
P. S. The best sign we’ve seen on the back windshield of a vehicle in a long while was on the back of one of those small Honda mini-SUV, whatever they are. It said in big bold letters:
“Hummer Escape Pod”
Oh - I’m just now seeing Brad’s comment. I agree, Brad! YES! Everything you said.
Including the part about the candy. As as diabetic of 36 1/2 years (Yikes!), I can safely say that candy does NOT cause diabetes in any way, shape or form. It’s genetic (they think) and you can eat all the candy you want without any ill effect unless you have a predisposition to diabetes. But it is not the candy that causes it. It’s your body’s failure to be able to metabolize and use carbohydrates because your body is either not producing any insulin at all or not enough so that your body can safely function.
So it’s not the same thing at all to compare candy and tobacco. Although I don’t advise ODing on candy, either! It CAN rot your teeth out! ha!
Thanks everyone for your comments and welcome Dee. I’m glad this was not ask the audience lifeline for that millionare show because the poll results are just too close.
Hey Randy. I’ve been out of the office for a few days, so am just getting to this. Being the temperament that I am, I’m uncomfortable with those “meet and greet” things. I’ve always hated being in classes or semniars, etc., and having to go around the room and give my name and tell about myself to people I don’t know. I don’t like being the center of attention and don’t “push” myself forward very well. However, if the leadership of a congregation where I am attending deems it necessary to do this, then okay. I do think people tend to greet the people they already know and love.
Hey, I might consider returning to the c of c if Budwiser sponsored the next potluck. I might even participate in the contrived excercise of meeting and greeting.
I’m totally late to this conversation due to an unexpected exile from a flea-infested house. But that’s a long, sad story for another time. To sum up…Meet & Greet = Blek! Contrived. Uncomfortable. Rushed. Breaks up worship experience. Yada. Yada.
It sounds like we need to have aerobics classes between class & church (well, I’m more of a pilates girl actually). Wake everyone up and lose a few pounds - then you can put in one of those KKs in the lobby.