Attention seekers

[Grace2022]

It makes me a bit sad really. You see those at church who do a lot of showing off, posturing and being holier than thou. I'm only human, can't help but observe. One or two who come and throw themselves virtually on the pews, in abeisance. Some who go around greeting every single person,when it's obvious our elderly congregation are very reserved, English quietness, just want to be left alone to quietly pray and get into the mood for the service. Another who shouts hello and goodbye thus disturbing the ambience.

Ours is a quiet serious congregation. Most elderly,they have known much sorrow and hard times. They mostly are wonderful caring but reserved folk. They want quiet praise, high church. We are not happy clappers. I like peace. My favourite people are ones I can try talk to, deep believers who understand.

I'm being honest and human. Some people get on my nerves, even our vicar who I think regards her job as a career path. She simply is not interested in any of us. I have tried approach ing her, she is not interested.
Big shame!

Ah well, it is so. Faith one thing, religious another.

 

[Dave G.]

"Ah well, it is so. Faith one thing, religious another".

Your last sentence says it all !! And it's true for all of us, the quiet ones and the more jovial shall we say.

 

[Liza B.]

It makes me a bit sad really. You see those at church who do a lot of showing off, posturing and being holier than thou. I'm only human, can't help but observe. One or two who come and throw themselves virtually on the pews, in abeisance. Some who go around greeting every single person,when it's obvious our elderly congregation are very reserved, English quietness, just want to be left alone to quietly pray and get into the mood for the service. Another who shouts hello and goodbye thus disturbing the ambience.

Ours is a quiet serious congregation. Most elderly,they have known much sorrow and hard times. They mostly are wonderful caring but reserved folk. They want quiet praise, high church. We are not happy clappers. I like peace. My favourite people are ones I can try talk to, deep believers who understand.

I'm being honest and human. Some people get on my nerves, even our vicar who I think regards her job as a career path. She simply is not interested in any of us. I have tried approach ing her, she is not interested.
Big shame!

Ah well, it is so. Faith one thing, religious another.

It would seem these Christians are not picking up on the environment/ambiance around them. However, could it be that they're just of a different culture or generation, and not really trying to be disrespectful or showing off? I don't know....I'm asking.

 

[brinny]

It makes me a bit sad really. You see those at church who do a lot of showing off, posturing and being holier than thou. I'm only human, can't help but observe. One or two who come and throw themselves virtually on the pews, in abeisance. Some who go around greeting every single person,when it's obvious our elderly congregation are very reserved, English quietness, just want to be left alone to quietly pray and get into the mood for the service. Another who shouts hello and goodbye thus disturbing the ambience.

Ours is a quiet serious congregation. Most elderly,they have known much sorrow and hard times. They mostly are wonderful caring but reserved folk. They want quiet praise, high church. We are not happy clappers. I like peace. My favourite people are ones I can try talk to, deep believers who understand.

I'm being honest and human. Some people get on my nerves, even our vicar who I think regards her job as a career path. She simply is not interested in any of us. I have tried approach ing her, she is not interested.
Big shame!

Ah well, it is so. Faith one thing, religious another.

My dear sister in Christ, you have not described anything despicable, or "holier than thou". You describe sisters and brothers in Christ who are warm, friendly, and interested in all of their brothers and sisters, and disapproval in their warmth and friendliness and their interest in all their brothers and sisters, and then go on to say how your vicar is "not interested in any of you".

Hmmmm...what's really going on sister? You describe these warm and friendly brothers and sisters critically and then criticize the vicar because she is not warm, friendly, or interested in any of you.

What is really bothering you, sister?

Perhaps i am misunderstanding? If so, i apologize. (((hug)))

 

[Aimz]

Rev 22:11
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Matt 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 5:7
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Matt 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Matt 7:1-2
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Hello Lilly,

I also struggle when I see other Christians practicing it in a different way than I do but what helps me shift my focus from them and back on to our Lord Jesus Christ is this. It is a personal relationship and no one but the people in it REALLY know how well it is doing. Our Father God in Heaven knows all our hearts and our minds and that is so freeing! Keep your relationship strong and let them follow Him at their own pace. To fixate on them just leads to bad places.

Take care and all the best,
Aimz.

It makes me a bit sad really. You see those at church who do a lot of showing off, posturing and being holier than thou. I'm only human, can't help but observe. One or two who come and throw themselves virtually on the pews, in abeisance. Some who go around greeting every single person,when it's obvious our elderly congregation are very reserved, English quietness, just want to be left alone to quietly pray and get into the mood for the service. Another who shouts hello and goodbye thus disturbing the ambience.

Ours is a quiet serious congregation. Most elderly,they have known much sorrow and hard times. They mostly are wonderful caring but reserved folk. They want quiet praise, high church. We are not happy clappers. I like peace. My favourite people are ones I can try talk to, deep believers who understand.

I'm being honest and human. Some people get on my nerves, even our vicar who I think regards her job as a career path. She simply is not interested in any of us. I have tried approach ing her, she is not interested.
Big shame!

Ah well, it is so. Faith one thing, religious another.

 

[Monna]

I looked long and hard for the perfect place of worship that "suited" me, and the way I like to worship. I never found one, and stopped looking when I realised that if and when I found it, and joined it, it would from that moment cease to be perfect.

I have seen and suffered from several schisms in local congregations. I know some of the history of how denominations have split, and new ones established. All these events are contrary to the wish that Christ expressed in his prayer to his Father that we should be one, even as he and his Father are one.

And then I look at God's response to this failure. He will not be defeated. Instead, he works with his people in each new church and raises up something fresh. So now, we are presented with a vast smorgasboard of choices of places and modes and forms of worship. Some emphasize quiet, personal meditation, others joyous and loud praises to the accompaniment of all kinds of musical instruments (think of the last few Psalms), some even worship through dance, and allow spontaneous outbursts of praise, some insist on strict adhesion to traditional forms and ritualised worship... the varieties are almost endless. Some of us like the idea of worshiping by "quiet waters" while others want to see and hear "the mountains clap their hands." God wants to see and hear genuine worship from the heart, whatever the form. It's a good thing that we have the Spirit to interpret our hearts' message, whatever the outward form, in a form that is most appropriate for the Father to recieve.

When I look at my fellow worshippers, and find their personalities showing "loudly," possibly rubbing me up the wrong way, I suddenly realise that the Lord is offering me an opportunity to learn grace. Paul wished almost all of the readers of his letters to learn the grace of the Lord ... we can only do so when we are faced with people and situations that we find disagreeable. My prayer for myself and for you Lily, is that we learn to see these outwardly different types of people, including those we think are attention-seekers, as the Lord Jesus sees them. And to approach them with God's grace. God bless.

 

[SkyWriting]

It makes me a bit sad really. You see those at church who do a lot of showing off, posturing and being holier than thou. I'm only human, can't help but observe. One or two who come and throw themselves virtually on the pews, in abeisance. Some who go around greeting every single person,when it's obvious our elderly congregation are very reserved, English quietness, just want to be left alone to quietly pray and get into the mood for the service. Another who shouts hello and goodbye thus disturbing the ambience.Ours is a quiet serious congregation. Most elderly,they have known much sorrow and hard times. They mostly are wonderful caring but reserved folk. They want quiet praise, high church. We are not happy clappers. I like peace. My favourite people are ones I can try talk to, deep believers who understand.I'm being honest and human. Some people get on my nerves, even our vicar who I think regards her job as a career path. She simply is not interested in any of us. I have tried approach ing her, she is not interested.Big shame!Ah well, it is so. Faith one thing, religious another.

People rarely turn down sincere help. What kind of help were you offering her?
Maybe you hadn't done enough homework to discover her needs. I suggest you try again.

 

[faroukfarouk]

It would seem these Christians are not picking up on the environment/ambiance around them. However, could it be that they're just of a different culture or generation, and not really trying to be disrespectful or showing off? I don't know....I'm asking.

Philippians 4.8 is good to remember! we are influenced by our environment more than we realize .

 

[Liza B.]

Philippians 4.8 is good to remember! we are influenced by our environment more than we realize .

Thank you for linking that great verse! I'm put in mind of an exchange I had with an elderly church member several years ago. We were both in the choir. At the time, my children were young. It was Easter Sunday. I thought the kids called forward for the pastor's Sunday message looked eager, excited and perfectly appropriate--but she was appalled by the lack of proper "dress clothes": hats and gloves for the girls and suits and such for the boys.

To me, it was a matter of looking "appropriate enough", and happy and excited. To her, it was a matter of respect and tradition. And I understand both viewpoints, actually, hers and mine.

I think the bottom line must be freedom in Christ--and grace to see the others' view.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Thank you for linking that great verse!

YW; I love Philippians! it's such a searching Epistle!