Monday, December 01, 2008
Exchange
First, I want to thank everyone for their “name” input. You generated some interesting names to be sure.
Second, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite holiday. You don’t have to worry about gifts, decorating (that is if you’re not my wife), or putting up a tree although ours is already up and decorated in our living room. You just eat, watch some T.V., and if you’re in our area and know the right people, you can go fishing for Pompano and Black Drum on part of the Space Center beach. More about that in my next post.
James Rutz wrote a book called, “The Open Church.” Fascinating read that Greg turned me on to back in the late 80’s or early 90’s. Our church is not an “Open Church” as Rutz describes it in his book but at times it’s close. It is not unusual for Don, our preacher, to engage the congregation during one of his sermons. For that matter, it isn’t unusual for the church to engage him while he’s preaching. To me, those events take church from “easy listening” as Rutz describes it to actively being the church. Such an event happened yesterday.
Our keyboard guy, I’ll call him Joe to protect the innocent and because I didn’t ask him if I could blog about this. Hey, now I see the rush you preachers get when you turn some poor unsuspecting (of which I “are” one) soul into a sermon illustration but yes, I digress. Back to our “exchange.”
First, Joe, our keyboard guy, is legally blind. The fact that he can play keyboard, guitar, sing, and is a computer whiz is amazing. Joe also has a great sense of humor and will make fun of the fact he’s the “blind guy” on a moments’ notice. As the case would be, Joe can hear extremely well and was listening to Don’s sermon from James. You could see Joe really perk up when Don made the following statement:
Don: I know every person in this auditorium when they got up, went into the bathroom and looked into a mirror.
As you can imagine, Joe saw an opening and took it. Joe began waving his hands back and forth trying to get Don’s attention and when he did the exchange went like this:
Don: Yes Joe.
Joe (w/ huge smile on face): I didn’t “look” into a mirror this morning to get ready for church.
Don: (to his chagrin) Yes Joe, you’re right. I didn’t think about you so my whole illustration is blown to pieces.
Joe – no answer – smile getting larger as the church breaks up into laughter.
Don: Oh, by the way Joe…..
Joe: Yes Don?
Don: You were waving in the wrong direction!
I love it when “church” becomes family. Remember, like Joe and Don, never be afraid to laugh at yourself. Happy Monday.
Second, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite holiday. You don’t have to worry about gifts, decorating (that is if you’re not my wife), or putting up a tree although ours is already up and decorated in our living room. You just eat, watch some T.V., and if you’re in our area and know the right people, you can go fishing for Pompano and Black Drum on part of the Space Center beach. More about that in my next post.
James Rutz wrote a book called, “The Open Church.” Fascinating read that Greg turned me on to back in the late 80’s or early 90’s. Our church is not an “Open Church” as Rutz describes it in his book but at times it’s close. It is not unusual for Don, our preacher, to engage the congregation during one of his sermons. For that matter, it isn’t unusual for the church to engage him while he’s preaching. To me, those events take church from “easy listening” as Rutz describes it to actively being the church. Such an event happened yesterday.
Our keyboard guy, I’ll call him Joe to protect the innocent and because I didn’t ask him if I could blog about this. Hey, now I see the rush you preachers get when you turn some poor unsuspecting (of which I “are” one) soul into a sermon illustration but yes, I digress. Back to our “exchange.”
First, Joe, our keyboard guy, is legally blind. The fact that he can play keyboard, guitar, sing, and is a computer whiz is amazing. Joe also has a great sense of humor and will make fun of the fact he’s the “blind guy” on a moments’ notice. As the case would be, Joe can hear extremely well and was listening to Don’s sermon from James. You could see Joe really perk up when Don made the following statement:
Don: I know every person in this auditorium when they got up, went into the bathroom and looked into a mirror.
As you can imagine, Joe saw an opening and took it. Joe began waving his hands back and forth trying to get Don’s attention and when he did the exchange went like this:
Don: Yes Joe.
Joe (w/ huge smile on face): I didn’t “look” into a mirror this morning to get ready for church.
Don: (to his chagrin) Yes Joe, you’re right. I didn’t think about you so my whole illustration is blown to pieces.
Joe – no answer – smile getting larger as the church breaks up into laughter.
Don: Oh, by the way Joe…..
Joe: Yes Don?
Don: You were waving in the wrong direction!
I love it when “church” becomes family. Remember, like Joe and Don, never be afraid to laugh at yourself. Happy Monday.
Comments:
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Wait a minute (and not too fast, Donna) ... I'm from California. I'm supposed to be incensed and outraged at such crass disregard for a person's visual challenged-ness (is that a word??). Now I'm confused. Is this funny or am I supposed to be burning church bulletins in protest??
I usually like it that our church is such a family, but yesterday it meant that I was heckled during my sermon. I'm not sure I like being quite that close.
Creekside is that way too. It's great in my opinion. They have grown in this as I have grown in it over the past few years. I find that the more open I am to their comments, the more open they will become. I actually had one of our teens heckle me a bit just a couple of weeks ago. It was funny.
The only caution I've ever had about it was when a lady in our church said once that it made her nervous when I gave the microphone to just anyone. I have wondered since then how many people are uncomfortable with it. She just made the statement that she was "just not sure what was going to come out of the pulpit."
Hey, I wonder was she talking about those other people or me? Hmmm??
The only caution I've ever had about it was when a lady in our church said once that it made her nervous when I gave the microphone to just anyone. I have wondered since then how many people are uncomfortable with it. She just made the statement that she was "just not sure what was going to come out of the pulpit."
Hey, I wonder was she talking about those other people or me? Hmmm??
Too Funny...the one Sunday I am home sick...okay, it does happen alot in our church but that was just too cool....way to go Joe & Don.
Steve - I didn't think about it from that standpoint. I wonder which church will be the first to come out with a "Gong" for the Preacher and his sermon?
Keith - “Worried about what is going to come out of the Pulpit?” Too bad your not or you don’t know a ventriloquist. Then you could really make that lady worry about what might “come out of the Pulpit.”
lauramay - I thought you were out of town. You're right - our church is famous for exchanges like "Don's and Joe's." That why I love our church.
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Keith - “Worried about what is going to come out of the Pulpit?” Too bad your not or you don’t know a ventriloquist. Then you could really make that lady worry about what might “come out of the Pulpit.”
lauramay - I thought you were out of town. You're right - our church is famous for exchanges like "Don's and Joe's." That why I love our church.
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