J
junior3kv
Guest
I’ve met so many wonderful people in the last year because I’ve been to so many different churches. I usually just go up and talk to people before or after mass. I do this because I believe our Church is impersonal and I no longer want it to be this way. Many people see the same people at Church week after week and don’t even know their names. Many people sit alone in church, not by choice, but it shouldn’t be this way because we should be doing this together. We should be on this journey together but we’re not.
Now, I have an idea to make our church less impersonal: The idea is why not make it a point to introduce yourself and talk to someone you don’t know, before or after every mass you go to, instead of always greeting the people you do know. This is one simple way of how fellowship can be formed. It’ll be something random and awkward at first because who knows what you’ll say or talk about but that’s not the point. The point is to interact with our fellow brothers and sisters. This idea is an extension of how in some churches we are told at the beginning of mass to greet those around us. Why not further this greeting?
Some things you can say are to simply compliment people on dressing in their Sunday best, compliment a parent’s child for looking “so cute in that outfit.” Ask how long they’ve been attending your church, ask people to join you for coffee or whatever snack is being served at your church, ask people about their kids, ask people what high school or college they’re attending, introduce people to one another. Before Mass you can even look around for someone sitting alone and go up to them, introduce yourself, and ask them if you could join them for Mass. If you see a cute boy or girl/man or woman why not do the same thing and mozy on over to them. Ya never know… You can even pawn off this idea as your own just like I came up to you and told you… As in, I have this idea to help the Church…. As long as the word is spread, that’s all that matters to me.
If you’re too shy to go up to someone then do it with a friend or do it with a group of friends. Just so those that may be hesitant to do this know, I’ve probably talked to over 200 or 300 people in the last year and have never been shunned by anyone. People for the most part are so nice and more than willing to talk to you. It seems like people want you to talk to them.
Now here’s how the youth tie in to all this: We all know something needs to be done to steer them toward the “Jesus path.” The building of relationships is how to do it. Kids must actually SEE the love we have for one another because if they don’t see this love and feel this love then what motivation do they have to stick around? Love is the best motivator there is, therefore love is the answer. Many kids leave their parents’ home behind because there was no love in the home. If there’s no love in their other home (The Church) then what incentive do they have to stick around once they become of age to choose whether to continue going to Mass or not?
If we show the youth that we are loving each other because of Jesus and they see that we have these special connections because of Him, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll think there’s something to this Jesus fella since He creates all the happiness they see at church week after week. You never know, they could be inspired by what they see and be “converted.” They must see us loving each other so we must set the example. It takes teamwork, not “individual-work.”
Relationships are so important. We all know this. Look at the relationship between you and Jesus. Because of that incredible bond you share, your life is for the better. Our relationships with one another are just as important. Isn’t our relationship with one another supposed to be an extension of our relationship with Jesus?
I’m not asking you to be friends with people outside of Mass, I’m asking you to be friends with people inside of Mass so we can rejoice in the Lord as a true family.
Because some people are shy we have to be courageous and take the initiative in bringing our family together. I know you can do it. It takes courage and I know it will be hard for some but, at least, forward this message to people you know that will have the courage to do it.
I want our fellowship to be like my friend’s non-denomination church’s fellowship. As soon as I walk in his church, I feel love. People greet you left and right and genuinely take interest in you. It’s a warm and friendly environment. People sing with their soul and are rejoicing in the Lord. They do this because of the friendships they’ve formed which in turn make people feel comfortable and less insecure about singing, so they can be themselves because they know they won’t be judged. People are friends in his church. They study the Bible with each other and talk to each other outside of church. I’ve never recommended his church to anyone but if I was apart of his church, I definitely would invite people to go and I definitely see why they are always asking people to attend their church and why people keep going back. It’s an incredible environment BECAUSE of their relationships with one another. Does this all not make sense? Thanks for reading.
May God Bless You
P.S. In my opinion, if we do this then I believe that this is how we can have thriving youth and adult ministries. Many people are only giving us an hour each week to infect their lives, so let’s infect them!
Now, I have an idea to make our church less impersonal: The idea is why not make it a point to introduce yourself and talk to someone you don’t know, before or after every mass you go to, instead of always greeting the people you do know. This is one simple way of how fellowship can be formed. It’ll be something random and awkward at first because who knows what you’ll say or talk about but that’s not the point. The point is to interact with our fellow brothers and sisters. This idea is an extension of how in some churches we are told at the beginning of mass to greet those around us. Why not further this greeting?
Some things you can say are to simply compliment people on dressing in their Sunday best, compliment a parent’s child for looking “so cute in that outfit.” Ask how long they’ve been attending your church, ask people to join you for coffee or whatever snack is being served at your church, ask people about their kids, ask people what high school or college they’re attending, introduce people to one another. Before Mass you can even look around for someone sitting alone and go up to them, introduce yourself, and ask them if you could join them for Mass. If you see a cute boy or girl/man or woman why not do the same thing and mozy on over to them. Ya never know… You can even pawn off this idea as your own just like I came up to you and told you… As in, I have this idea to help the Church…. As long as the word is spread, that’s all that matters to me.
If you’re too shy to go up to someone then do it with a friend or do it with a group of friends. Just so those that may be hesitant to do this know, I’ve probably talked to over 200 or 300 people in the last year and have never been shunned by anyone. People for the most part are so nice and more than willing to talk to you. It seems like people want you to talk to them.
Now here’s how the youth tie in to all this: We all know something needs to be done to steer them toward the “Jesus path.” The building of relationships is how to do it. Kids must actually SEE the love we have for one another because if they don’t see this love and feel this love then what motivation do they have to stick around? Love is the best motivator there is, therefore love is the answer. Many kids leave their parents’ home behind because there was no love in the home. If there’s no love in their other home (The Church) then what incentive do they have to stick around once they become of age to choose whether to continue going to Mass or not?
If we show the youth that we are loving each other because of Jesus and they see that we have these special connections because of Him, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll think there’s something to this Jesus fella since He creates all the happiness they see at church week after week. You never know, they could be inspired by what they see and be “converted.” They must see us loving each other so we must set the example. It takes teamwork, not “individual-work.”
Relationships are so important. We all know this. Look at the relationship between you and Jesus. Because of that incredible bond you share, your life is for the better. Our relationships with one another are just as important. Isn’t our relationship with one another supposed to be an extension of our relationship with Jesus?
I’m not asking you to be friends with people outside of Mass, I’m asking you to be friends with people inside of Mass so we can rejoice in the Lord as a true family.
Because some people are shy we have to be courageous and take the initiative in bringing our family together. I know you can do it. It takes courage and I know it will be hard for some but, at least, forward this message to people you know that will have the courage to do it.
I want our fellowship to be like my friend’s non-denomination church’s fellowship. As soon as I walk in his church, I feel love. People greet you left and right and genuinely take interest in you. It’s a warm and friendly environment. People sing with their soul and are rejoicing in the Lord. They do this because of the friendships they’ve formed which in turn make people feel comfortable and less insecure about singing, so they can be themselves because they know they won’t be judged. People are friends in his church. They study the Bible with each other and talk to each other outside of church. I’ve never recommended his church to anyone but if I was apart of his church, I definitely would invite people to go and I definitely see why they are always asking people to attend their church and why people keep going back. It’s an incredible environment BECAUSE of their relationships with one another. Does this all not make sense? Thanks for reading.
May God Bless You
P.S. In my opinion, if we do this then I believe that this is how we can have thriving youth and adult ministries. Many people are only giving us an hour each week to infect their lives, so let’s infect them!