As I stood in the church lobby Sunday night, a gentleman by the name of Henry asked to speak with me in private. Always open to talking, we continued to the less crowded church parking lot. His demeanor changed, shoulders slightly back, chest perched a little, the following words came, “You were wrong”.
“Okay”, I answered gently.
As a willing person, I enjoy participating in church function, civic activity, volunteering, learning, teaching, community. However, Henry is a man in his early 50’s and had brought his little granddaughter to the Sunday morning church service.
During church a team of people are responsible for the order, safety, cleanliness, environment of the church, also known as ushers. It happened to be my duty that Sunday morning to sit in the church sanctuary/auditorium…
The usher team is trained with helpful technique, emergency procedures for CPR, assisting people, opening doors, all of the fun logistics.
This was not my first position in logistics, in fact, as a teenager I received a phone call from the director of a non-profit I’d been selected to attend. This phone call came after attending the conference events for two years.
In middle school, a teacher committee selected one other student and myself to attend this conference.
The conference included people from around Colorado. At no time in my life have I been surrounded by this kind of Awesome!!!
Naturally, I accepted the offer to join the logistics staff. This invitation also offered invitations to more conferences throughout the year. The friendships remain to this day. Funding was cut a few years later, and I have no idea what has become of the organization. Those are some of my best life memories. The actual events looked like something out of an old feel good party movie, or being in a music video. Kind of like the Ottawan.
Back to the church parking lot, Henry was legitimately upset.
Search results for: Keeping children quiet in church reveal a variety of complaints.
Emily was her name, she must have been two and a half, Henry’s granddaughter was in church that Sunday morning. Enjoying the song service, most children joining sing, coo, talk a little (rarely happens at this church as the children’s programs are elaborate).
The church evangelist approached me during the start up song service letting me know to keep an ear out for Emily making noise.
I was taken off balance by this and had been attending this church for years.
At another point during the song service, a pastor approached me and said the same thing.
Near the very beginning of the preaching, the same pastor asked me to have Henry and Emily to retreat to the church lobby, or nursery.
Honest to goodness folks, I didn’t hear anything…. nothing, Emily seemed pretty quiet from where I sat.
Like a heavy weight, after lame complaints, annoyed, stupefied, embarrassed… I walked over to Henry, sir, I’m very sorry, the preacher asked me to ask you to take Emily to the lobby or nursery, some of the older folks are disturbed.
I’m in complete agreement with Henry.
Later that day, in the absence of Emily, as she rejoined her parents, with his finger pointed in my face, other hand curled tight in a fist, in the parking lot Henry said, “I’ll never go to this church again, and it’s because of you”.
“I’m sorry, and you’re right. It wasn’t my idea, and I was just doing what I was asked”.
Those words sunk in.
It would have been better to stand up, walk out, and never return before offending Henry. Henry may be much older than I am, but are we not all children?
To offend a child of any age is worse than being tossed off a bridge with a weight around the neck. Isn’t that awful.
WKWJKO Whose Kids Would Jesus Kick Out?
Years have passed since Henry left the church, in fact, I left right after he did. On my last trip to the grocery store, while shopping, there he was, Henry.
We made eye contact walking toward one another in the store, I sincerely brightened with a genuine soft smile as I realized it was him. He did the same, only we both kept walking, passed one another and that was it.
As I stood looking at baking ingredients, it hit me, Henry.
I walked his direction as fast as I could.
All I wanted to do is to tell Henry “You were right”. That’s all.
As I walked quickly in his direction and searched around, I remembered that he was so angry years back, he probably wanted to punch me in the face back then.
I wonder if he still wants to punch me in the face.
At least he didn’t kick me out of church like I did to him. What an awful memory.
Some things are too stupid to write about. Some things must be written about.
This doesn’t seem stupid at all.
What’s the point of 100 adults sitting in the rows hearing repacked messages in absolute silence, shipping kids off to classrooms. Why the segregation? Isn’t Sunday or whichever day you’d like supposed to be a family day?
As a parent, I’m okay with children’s church, but I must be welcome to attend with my child, it’s a simple rule I have.
As a person, I’m okay with children being children.
It’s funny to watch husbands and wives carry on whisper chats, listen to the Amen corner, Sister who says ‘preach it preacher’ every five minutes. But, the children must be silent.
What do you think?
Should we Let The Children Worship?
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