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| Author | Topic: How to Respond to a Disruption |
| Pastor Eric |
posted 3/20/07 1:35 PM
Pg 31- How to Respond to a Disruption during Worship.Once upon a time, it was unthinkable for people to be disruptive during worship, people were self conscious about a cough. Today it is different. Here are some things I never thought I would encounter in worship:- Once at a funeral, there was visitation for an hour before the service at the church. Family and visiting friends brought chips, pop, cookies, and other snacks. At the start of the service I had to announce that there would be no food or beverages in the sanctuary.-A (former) choir director once had the choir during the anthem file toward the aisle and pile up the shoes off their feet. I remember neither the song nor the point, just the pile of shoes.- One Sunday when a baptism was scheduled, the family asked a friend of the family to sing. Before singing the woman launched into a speech extoling the virtues of the family and the how great her love was for the baby.I use to think of these things as offenses to God, but I have come to see that they are opportunities to talk to someone about what we do in worship. Yes, things happen, like a cell phone that we forgot to shut off, or a child that won't settle down. I kind word from those around will help to remind people that we are a family of faith, and many of us have had similar things happen to us. We do not have to protect God from these incidents, as though God is upset and will not attend our worship service. Rather, God sees his family together, and asks that we help one another, It can make worship more meaningful, not less. What disruptions have you seen or been apart of, and what would you like to see happen? |
| Trish |
posted 3/22/07 6:42 PM
People "visiting" excessively during the worship service bother me, but hopefully that changes as they spend more time in worship and begin to understand what we are suppose to be doing there.I have always seen the altar as "the Holy of Holies". I don't like seeing people and/kids use that space irreverently. I don't even feel comfortable being up there to help with communion.When I was confirmed, they had us stand in front of the altar to take our group picture. I was told to stand on the top step. I felt like I was in front of the burning bush and should take my shoes off and fall on my face like Moses did. That bothered me for awhile, especially since no-one else seemed to think twice about it (guess it still does since I remember it so well). |
| Karen |
posted 3/24/07 3:45 AM
I agree with Trish about people visiting excessively bothering me. I suppose it's mostly disruptive adults that would bother me. But, when it's children causing the disruption, I usually feel sorry for the parents, so I smile and try to tune it out. I know some parents don't come to church because they don't think their children can sit still and be quiet for an hour. I feel bad they feel the need to stay home rather than risking embarrassment by showing up and having the kids be disruptive. I figure kids will eventually learn the routine, and we should be tolerant so their parents will show up and so the kids can learn what to do in church. [This message has been edited on 03/24/2007] |
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Karen (Moderator) |
posted 3/24/07 5:35 PM
I thought it was timely that I received this story today in an email from Godswork100@hotmail.com, and decided to share it: A KIND INTERRUPTION One Sunday at my church, the choir had finished singing the anthem and the pastor was rising to deliver the message. It was a moment of holy expectation. Suddenly, a teenage girl, third from the left on the front row of the choir, rose and stepped out across her fellow choir members and around the piano. Clad in maroon robe and gold stole, she made her way down the steps and toward the side aisle. I thought, "If she is going to leave, she should go out the back." But she was not leaving. She made her way to the fourth row of pews, sat down next to her friend and gently placed her arm around her. Then I knew. Twelve hours earlier her friend had lost her grandmother, who had been suffering from an illness. Her friend came to church to restore her strength through worship. Arriving late, she found an open pew to herself. As Leslie sat next to Bethany and gently hugged her, those in the congregation smiled and shed small tears of joy, of love for the friend who showed Christ's love through a simple act of companionship. She risked causing a distraction to minister to a friend. Such are the small acts of kindness and love that are the fabric of a congregation. The pastor delivered a strong message that day. So did Leslie. Author Unknown [This message has been edited on 03/24/2007] |
| Pastor Eric |
posted 3/26/07 11:29 PM
I think there are two types of disruptions. The first kind are kids and the kind that the disrupter is aware of, the second are the adults who are visiting and are oblivious to those they are bothering. Kindness and understanding goes a long way with the first, any ideas how to handle the second? |
| Karen |
posted 3/27/07 3:57 PM
I'm not sure how to handle the people who are oblivious to the fact that they are disrupting others. Sometimes I think the people think they are being quiet because they can't hear themselves very good. The thing that always surprises me is the number of people who walk out and back in during the service. It's nice that people feel comfortable enough to do that I guess, but it seems like most people ought to be able to sit through the service without getting up. When they go in and out, I think it shows kids that it's okay to walk in and out, too. But, it beats being in a church where you aren't comfortable doing whatever you need to do whenever that might be. |
| Becky |
posted 4/2/07 3:22 PM
This topic is completely foreign to me. My children sit quiet as church mice during church and never get up. I've become a little more strict with Sydney because I feel she's old enough to know better. Megan, however, has been a struggle potty training and I let her go whenever she says she has to go. It's embarrassing to have to take her out so many times (twice during a recent Wednesday night service)...we ended up leaving. I want my kids to behave in church, but I also want them to feel welcome and enjoy going to church. I get dirty looks sometimes and I just want to say, "would you rather I just kept my kids at home and not bring them up in church?" Be patient with me, please! |
| Karen |
posted 4/5/07 6:28 AM
I think is interesting is to watch how children progress in their behavior at church. They may be a distraction quite regularly at first, and then one day you watch them and realize that they are sitting there quietly, etc., and they have figured out how they are "supposed" to act in church. I have a lot of respect for the parents. I don't think it's very easy to keep a kid quiet for an hour. With kids, I don't see it as much as a disruption as I see it as a learning experience. This next part has nothing to do with a disruption (other than the kids learned this when they leave the service to go to Jr. Church). I thought the kids did a wonderful job reciting the Lord's Prayer a few weeks ago. You could hear or see everyone of them participating. I felt really good after listening to them. |
| Bill |
posted 4/6/07 2:17 AM
I feel that these "disruptions" in church remind us that we are human and are being challanged everyday of our lives, no matter where we are, including church. I have always been very frustrated with my children when they don't behave the way I think they should in church. Weather it is the clothes they wear or the lack of attention they seem to show during the service. However I was astonished the other day when my teenager quoted a story to my wife that was part of the sermon, and was able to tell the story better than I recalled. Even though I think that they may not be paying attention or getting much from the service, they are receiving more than I know and are willing to share it with others. I actually Love to hear the sounds of others during the service including the minor disruptions, it reminds me that I am a part of something larger, the True Body of Christ. |
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