“There’s almost no time to have a quiet moment in Church anymore!”
Really, the proper etiquette for church is — or used to be clearly written in etiquette books — as soon as you enter the sanctuary/auditorium, you take your seat and be prayerfully quiet. That’s how we grew up.
Now, people are fluttering around, chit-chatting, laughing, coffee-klatching, and being overall disrespectful about where they are, and why. (People drinking coffee in church ... arrrgh!) There’s plenty of time before and after the service outdoors, in vestibules, etc., for socializing.
People drinking coffee in church.
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A few years back, I observed a long time female, adult, member of our Baptist church come in a little late. She was carrying a McDonald’s breakfast meal. Service had already started, she took a seat and proceeded to eat her meal.
The Pastor noticed and interrupted the service to ask sister Marie to please take her meal to the basement where there are tables and chairs.
Sister Marie, not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, say’s “no thanks Pastor, I’m fine right here”. Pastor saw that he was not getting through to her, then plainly told her to take the food down stairs to eat it, then come back and join us in worship.
People drinking coffee in church.
...........................................
A few years back, I observed a long time female, adult, member of our Baptist church come in a little late. She was carrying a McDonald’s breakfast meal. Service had already started, she took a seat and proceeded to eat her meal.
The Pastor noticed and interrupted the service to ask sister Marie to please take her meal to the basement where there are tables and chairs.
Sister Marie, not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, say’s “no thanks Pastor, I’m fine right here”. Pastor saw that he was not getting through to her, then plainly told her to take the food down stairs to eat it, then come back and join us in worship.