While perusing my normal list of blogs at work tonight, I came across a wonderful and hilarious post linked from the IX Marks website. There linked was documented the fantastic discovery of an entire chapter of I Corinthians that, until now, has been missing. You must read it. I will repost it here. But make sure to check out Kelly Randolf's blog and read many of his insightful posts after laughing and emailing this to all your church friends. He is now linked to in my links menu to the right of the text as Ecclesiophilist.
Chapter 17Now this is all in good fun and I certainly am not trying to anger anyone who's thinking about quoting me the end of Revelation. Kelly Randolf, the man who wrote this, admits that this is part of his imagination, as he has a "pastoral daydream" which would correct an "announcement problem" that would have been an issue at Corinth. Then, presumably, we could use it to address OUR announcement problems in our churches! So my question to you is. . .
Now concerning announcements, I do not want you to be ignorant brethren. When announcements are given, let there be only two or three and let them be given in order. Let the announcements be brief. Otherwise, those who are new worshipers and unschooled in the way of announcements, will they not say you are mad? It is better if announcements are written down and submitted to the church office so that the staff may make them. Are announcements more important than congregational singing or preaching? May it never be! Therefore, use your announcement time wisely and thus maintain a suitable balance in the service.
Let him who gives an announcement be careful lest he fall into temptation and a snare. Truly each one who gives an announcement considers his information to be holy. When giving his announcement, a spirit of rambling may overtake him and he may begin speaking in an unnecessary tongue. Let every man who makes an announcement pray that his announcement may be brief and to the point. Such announcements are edifying to the church.
Earnestly desire such announcements, but especially that you may read the bulletin. Announcements are of some value but the bulletin is greater. For now we announce in part and we know in part. But the bulletin gives full and detailed information so that your knowledge of ministry happenings may be complete. One who makes an announcement edifies a particular ministry. But the bulletin edifies the whole church. So then my brethren, listen to the announcements but do not neglect the bulletin.
How do you deal with the problem of announcements at your church?
OR
How do you WISH your church handled announcements or other areas of service planning not directly related to the preaching of God's Word, the commanded singing of praises to God or any other explicitly commanded and mandated functions within our worship services?
Feel free to comment with your thoughts and suggestions!
{ht:Ecclesiophilist}
3 comments:
I laughed so hard! So true.
I am humbled and honored that you would have a link to my blog. How do you do that? I would like to do the same, but don't know how.
When you sign in to blogger, a new option on the top right of the screen will appear named "Customize." That will take you to the page layout page. Above the "About Me" portion of your formatting will be "Add a page element." Click that and the second option on the right on the new pop up box is "Link List"
From there you can add links and label them how you want. You can arrange them alphabetically or in order of importance. You can use more than one "link list" and name them to organize your types of links. That is what I have done in the tool bar to the right of the blog text. All those were found under the "Add a page element" tab.
I hope that is easy to follow and helpful. I am still a novice at this blog stuff and finding answers on the internet isn't all that easy either. I spent about an hour trying to find out how I could add audio to my blog, only to find out that it is so complicated that I don't think I could do it!
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Now, Bob, How do you utilize announcements in your services?
Thanks for the tips. Now, to answer the question at hand:
At around 10:45am, our usual start time, the organist finishes the prelude, and our pastor begins the service with a welcome and brief highlights of 2 or 3 upcoming events, plus anything else that needs to be spoken verbally. (I also prepare the printed bulletin, and it contains anywhere from 5 to 7 distinct announcements.) Usually takes no more than 3 to 4 minutes, then he turns it over to me for the song time. He truly wants, as do I, to utilize the time for worship to God through praise, giving and the preaching of the Word.
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