Monday, August 11, 2008

Giving Shy Persons the Strength to Do What Needs to Be Done

With the disclaimer that it's Monday, and that I'm in a pissy mood because I left my handbag with my car keys and all my worldly documentation at the ice cream parlor last night, and had a cell phone die in mid-conversation with the local radio station bright and early this morning as I was shilling for one of our programs...

What is it about shy Lutherans?

At our church we have a real problem with people who will not talk about their own pet programs during our morning announcements. Yesterday morning, as always, we prefaced the service proper with morning announcements, but were met with dead silence from the congregation. We have a yard sale coming up...a work day...Rally Day/Blessing of the Backpacks...all kinds of stuff; other than a kind of "Oh...yeah..." reminder about the work day, nary a peep.

FT and I have taken to acting as volunteer prompters during announcements; we'll wave our hands and say, "Does anyone know anything more about the yard sale Labor Day weekend?..." until one of the organizers is forced to respond publicly. But even then it's like pulling teeth getting information from these people.

And then, of course, when the big day arrives and the event is under-staffed or under-attended, the organizers grump about "No one wants to help," or "No one will participate." Well, duh -- if the organizers can't be bothered to open their pie holes for thirty seconds on Sunday morning to explain to people what's going on, or even communicate with the office or with the webmeisters to get the information disseminated another way, what do they expect? Geez-us.

There. I said it and I'm glad.

I really miss my handbag.

5 comments:

Ringelstrümpfe said...

Hope you will get your handbag back. In one piece with nothing missing.

Also hope your congregation will find their voices. Silence can be so...well...deadly. I remeber one of our greeters once yelled into the mike: "Hey, is there anybody out there?!?"

Having said all this, I wonder how often I play the role of the silent mouse... hmmm...

Karen Sapio said...

Hmmm. My pet peeve is folks who think that if they have made an announcement in worship about X, their work is done. Volunteers will materialize, participants will stream in, and all logistical details will magically sort themselves out. No additional effort or follow-up needed.

zorra said...

Wow, and people call US the frozen chosen....

MY pet peeve, not that you asked, is the people who say, "When was that discussed? I didn't know anything about it." after it was announced from the lectern three Sundays in a row, was in the bulletin three Sundays in a row, was in the church newsletter and on the church web site...and then they complain that there's no communication in this congregation.

zorra said...

Sorry, got carried away--I do hope you have recovered your handbag (intact) by now.

Rachel said...

True dat, sistah.