"Face to Face Conversations"
As a little boy growing up in a true middle class family, I can remember how my sisters would tie up the phone lines at the house. They each had their set of friends and both Nancy, but especially Vicki could "chat it up" with the best of them. (Vicki still does "chat it up" and that’s what I like about her.) Mom and Dad would have to say things like, "Wrap it up now; time to get off the phone; get to your homework." We only had - one landline phone in the house.
Times sure have changed. Now days, just about everyone walks around with a cell phone attached permanently glued to their thumbs, and some of us walk about the mall with a cyber blue tooth jammed in our ear. Why? Instant access - we want to stay connected and in touch. We seem to have diluted the need for face to face connections.
As fancy and sleek as our blackberry, jitterbug, iPhone pinkie links have become, they cannot replace the need for face to face communications. I believe that the more technical means of communication we develop, the less we really communicate with each other. Why talk to a person directly when a text message will do.
Nothing beats good old-fashioned face to face chatting. Then the person we are talking to – the person directly in front of us - is more important than responding to the half-dozen texts we received during the conversation. That may be very hard for some of us. If we check our phone every 96 seconds while talking with another person, what we really are saying to the person in front of us is, "You don’t matter as much as the person at the other end of the text." Such behavior is rude and impolite, and we have tossed out the window the concept of communicating face to face.
This year, our church is emphasizing "communicate, communicate, communicate". I hope you will strive to communicate with the members of the boards your joys as well as your concerns "face to face"…Remember, there is an opportunity to connect with an elder after the 10:30 worship service every Sunday. In the downstairs living room, you can talk to an elder "face to face" and share with him or her your joys and frustrations, your blessings, and information. Put your name with the concern or issue so that the board can deal with the issues and items vexing us. The board cannot deal very effectively with unsigned letters of complaint, nor rumors, innuendos or gripes with no name to claim, and address the issue. We as a board will not address such issues. We want the line of communication to be open and face to face. The Elder will listen to you and help answer your concerns.
Communicate, communicate, communicate, and let's talk over dinner, after worship, in a small group, at the coffee shop, or the ball game. Dover First has some new places and ministries to experience in our ongoing mission to love our neighbors and expand our influence in ministry. Let's chat soon. See You on Sunday,
Pastor John