Broadus
Puritan Board Freshman
How long has the "meet and greet, wander around the sanctuary while doing so" been around? For many churches, it seems almost an element of worship. For other churches which have it, it is conducted perhaps after the announcements but before the call to worship.
The latter is what has happened in our church. When I came a little over a decade ago, the "meet and greet" was during the early part of the worship service. I later managed to move it before the call to worship, but it was still disruptive for worship. We have finally deleted it from the service altogether. Our people are a very friendly lot, and lots of meeting and greeting takes place before and after the service. Even from a purely pragmatic standpoint, the "meet and greet" during the service was unnecessary for welcoming others.
I realize that supporters of the "meet and greet" will point to biblical injunctions to greet one another and so forth. However, it seems to me that would be the normal way that believers greet one another whenever they see each other. It has nothing to do with corporate worship.
But I'm curious as to how long this greeting time during the service has been around? My guess is that it is a fairly recent innovation, perhaps within the past 30 or 40 years, but I really do not know for sure. Any ideas? Any documentation?
Thanks.
The latter is what has happened in our church. When I came a little over a decade ago, the "meet and greet" was during the early part of the worship service. I later managed to move it before the call to worship, but it was still disruptive for worship. We have finally deleted it from the service altogether. Our people are a very friendly lot, and lots of meeting and greeting takes place before and after the service. Even from a purely pragmatic standpoint, the "meet and greet" during the service was unnecessary for welcoming others.
I realize that supporters of the "meet and greet" will point to biblical injunctions to greet one another and so forth. However, it seems to me that would be the normal way that believers greet one another whenever they see each other. It has nothing to do with corporate worship.
But I'm curious as to how long this greeting time during the service has been around? My guess is that it is a fairly recent innovation, perhaps within the past 30 or 40 years, but I really do not know for sure. Any ideas? Any documentation?
Thanks.