Chew on This
>> Friday, October 16, 2009 –
worship
So I’m wondering about gum chewing in church lately. Have you noticed this? That people chew gum in church? This trend can’t possibly be exclusive to Lutherans. Call me old-fashioned. Call me traditional. Call me a stuffed shirt, but I think chewing gum in church is a bit much. Some of you know that I grew up Catholic. And Catholicism is a formal religion. We do incense. Votives flicker at the feet of the Virgin Mary. Priests shake the aspergillum over the casket. We genuflect upon entering and leaving the pew like we are meeting the Queen Mother; make the Sign of the Cross like crazy; Exchange the Peace all stiff and serious, like we’re business executives sealing a deal. When I was a kid, we didn’t even cross our legs when we sat in the pew; for some reason this posture was frowned upon. We sat upright, knees pressed together, feet on the floor.
And never, never in a million, billion years, would we have dared to pop in a wad of banana Bubblicious.
It’s all a bit too messy for me.
I know, I know. I’m judging again. And this from the woman who lugs in an entire smorg to keep her children entertained during worship. But I can rationalize that as a survival tactic.
Gum chewing in church is my worship pet peeve. What’s yours?
Posts
The moment I spotted that picture of double bubble in your post my jaw began to ache. Last week there was a bowl of it on the secretary's desk (yes, the church secretary) and every time I walked by I grabbed a piece. I love that stuff. Although rest assured, I won't chew it during worship. What would you think of the pastor blowing a bubble mid-words of institution?
My pet peeve in worship would probably be the occasional cell phone ring.
I have been going to Mass occasionally with my lovely Catholic husband over the past year or so, and I'm consistently surprised by the people dressed to work in the garage, or sit on the couch. Lots of sweatpants. It is even more noticeable at my in-laws' church, which is at the Jersey shore.
I grew up without going to any house of worship except for a funeral, wedding, or christening, but I always thought it was a sign of respect to get a little dressed up.
Now that I'm once again seeking a church, my A#1 pet peeve in worship is trying to pass off the "passing of the peace" as "welcoming."
When I was a kid, we always dressed up for church and I always wore a dress... so it does surprise me when people go to Church dressed in sweats or jeans.
In line with gum chewing -- my mother-in-law always passes out certs at the beginning of the sermon. The idea is that when the certs is gone, the sermon should be over. Always worked well with the kids! Of course, at Southwood, we are always hoping the sermon will outlast the certs! :-)
My pet peeve in church would be adults who frown at "busy" kids.
My church pet peeve is the kids who wear shorts and sandals when serving as acolytes! I will join you as a stuffed shirt old fogey! When I was an acolyte I had to wear dress shoes and either a skirt or dress pants, absolutely no shorts or jeans!
Mere
I popped a piece of gum in my mouth when I was visiting a church in Chicago this year and right after I did they made annoncements that there would be NO running, NO talking, No sleeping, No gum chewing, NO playing around because it was disrespectful, we are in church and we need to act like we are in church, I thought about swallowing the gum but instead slipped it out of my mouth into a piece of paper and threw it in my purse. When a sweet woman talked to me at the end of church I told her I had enjoyed their friendliness but was almost afraid to move after I heard the announcements and she smiled and said I know, I seen you put your gum in your purse :>) I guess they had to make all those rules because it was in a all black church in the north part of Chicago where most of the people were coming out of drug and alcohol addiction.
In line with gum chewing -- my mother-in-law always passes out certs at the beginning of the sermon. The idea is that when the certs is gone, the sermon should be over. Always worked well with the kids! Of course, at Southwood, we are always hoping the sermon will outlast the certs! :-)
My pet peeve in church would be adults who frown at "busy" kids.