Finding Peace

I had lunch today at Chick fil-a. The place was full and swarming with children under 54 inches (that’s as tall as one can be and play in the “play room”). The only available table when I arrived was the one directly across (about 40 inches) from the door to said playroom.

Now I like kids (wait, no, really I do) but they do have a tendency to be very noisy when they are playing. . .arguing. . .fighting. . .getting hurt. . .getting angry. . .being mistreated by their peers. . .or because they are having fun.

I wish I only had to be around them when they are in the midst of that last item on the list.

And so I am with the Church of Jesus Christ. All of those things – the very same things, are happening at a Church near you. Perhaps it is not so frequent, or only rarely occurs, but if it is not happening now, just wait a while and it will be.

I have to admit I really like that last one. . .”because they are having fun.” We have discovered in our Sunday evening service (which meets in Fellowship Hall), at the little Church I attend, one can learn the Truth, sing hymns and choruses, pray with genuine fervency, and have a lot of fun in the  process. There are several things that contribute to success in accomplishing that. First, one has to have the idea and confidence that having fun in Church is a good thing. Second, let the people pick the songs they remember from their past (the age 70+ folks are best at this), sing one or two of them (without accompaniment), especially if no one knows them well, and they can be pieced together because each person knows a different part of the words and tune, serve cookies, or cake, or brownies, or candy, or . . .??, and coffee, tea, soft drinks, and water, and every once in a while throw in some Blue Bell. Let people tell their stories, make the leader’s message clear, short, meaningful, and laugh like there is no tomorrow.

It’s hard to fight, argue, get angry, etc., when you are having fun. The truth is sometimes Church is boring, or dull, or too loud, and almost always way too long. We are trying to keep it shorter than “too long.” Even the Preacher participates with ease, and when the service is ended, hardly anyone rushes out.

I am sure it is nothing new. Nothing different. We just hadn’t done it. Now we do. And since we don’t have a nursery on Sunday evening, the little kids play in the back of the room. We hardly ever notice!