I have a very nice older couple in my Church who used to be quite regular in attendance, but they stopped coming to Church shortly before I became the Pastor.
As it turns out, the man was on the Pulpit Committee that called the previous pastor, and that pastor ended up being a total disaster. The man, Jackie, felt responsible, and he felt like the Church blamed him, because he was "gung ho" about the new (previous) pastor.
I have done my best over the last two years to encourage them to come back to Church, and they would occasionally show up, then be gone for another 6 or 8 weeks.
The other day, I was sitting at my Pastoral desk, writing Pastoral notes to members of our Congregation, as I sometimes do. Their names came up in my mind.
I opened a note card, and just sat there trying to think of what I could say, that I hadn't already said.
In a brilliant burst of genius, I picked up a black marker, and wrote in REALLY BIG letters "GET YOUR BUTTS BACK IN CHURCH".
I sealed the note, put a stamp on it, and drove to the Post Office on my way home, where I held the note in the mouth of the postal receptacle, thinking for a moment ... then, "ah, what the heck". I dropped the note into the mail box.
Guess who was at Church Sunday with BIG SMILES, and AFTER Church greeted me with laughter, telling me "that did the trick - we're back!" Jane said she opened the mail, Jackie was outside mowing, and she opened the door and yelled "GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE", and showed him the note. She said they both laughed really hard, then put the note on the refrigerator, anxious for Sunday to arrive.
Invite somebody to Church -- DON'T DO IT LIKE THAT!
As it turns out, the man was on the Pulpit Committee that called the previous pastor, and that pastor ended up being a total disaster. The man, Jackie, felt responsible, and he felt like the Church blamed him, because he was "gung ho" about the new (previous) pastor.
I have done my best over the last two years to encourage them to come back to Church, and they would occasionally show up, then be gone for another 6 or 8 weeks.
The other day, I was sitting at my Pastoral desk, writing Pastoral notes to members of our Congregation, as I sometimes do. Their names came up in my mind.
I opened a note card, and just sat there trying to think of what I could say, that I hadn't already said.
In a brilliant burst of genius, I picked up a black marker, and wrote in REALLY BIG letters "GET YOUR BUTTS BACK IN CHURCH".
I sealed the note, put a stamp on it, and drove to the Post Office on my way home, where I held the note in the mouth of the postal receptacle, thinking for a moment ... then, "ah, what the heck". I dropped the note into the mail box.
Guess who was at Church Sunday with BIG SMILES, and AFTER Church greeted me with laughter, telling me "that did the trick - we're back!" Jane said she opened the mail, Jackie was outside mowing, and she opened the door and yelled "GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE", and showed him the note. She said they both laughed really hard, then put the note on the refrigerator, anxious for Sunday to arrive.
Invite somebody to Church -- DON'T DO IT LIKE THAT!
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