Does your church do this?

Is something stopping you from engaging in conversation with these people after church? It always amazing me when I hear people say, "I can't believe so-and-so just walked right past me and didn't even say hello", when they didn't say hello either.

 

I sit near the main door and have already shaken everyone's hand who has come in. Even though we have a meet and greet, I feel funny about shaking everyone's hand again, as do many of the men, because they try to shake everyone's hand before the service, esp. the visitors.
The part I have a hard time with is when the entire congregation holds hands. I literally hate it. I grew up in a family that was not "into" physical forms of expression except in dire times, or with your spouse, small children. ( Old time Presbyterians)
The last time I had to hold hands with a non-family member was the pastor's wife. I felt very uncomfortable and almost went into a panic attack. ( I came very close to telling her I only hold hands with my wife.)
I know, it's the way I was raised.
Thank goodness, we don't hold hands as a congregation very often.

 

Never did much like the meet-and-greet part of the sevice. Wifey's much more of a people person.

 

Our ushers recognize visitors and give them a visitor's package. Our pastor will almost always introduce himself to these folks and speak with them a few minutes before service begins, and afterwards.

Myself, I try to always go up and introduce myself to visitors and shake their hand. I don't say much, usually I will say it was nice to have them in church today, and hope they will come back. I am friendly, and give them a big smile. On occasion I will talk a little with them, but that is probably the exception.

Everybody is different. Some folks like attention and will be offended if you do not make a big fuss over them. I am just the opposite, I do not like being pointed out or having a fuss made. I don't mind friendly folks coming up and saying hello and shaking hands, but I don't like a LOT of attention. You can usually tell if folks like attention or not, I try to be aware of this.

I don't like group prayers where folks hold hands. I am just not a "group" person.

 

Goodness.

I see absolutely nothing problematic AT ALL with holding the hand of someome other then ones wife in a prayer circle.

Seriously, its a (((PRAYER))) circle!! raying:

 

Is not all of that to be worship (our service of worship - Romans 12:1, 2)?

 

I have no problem with the practice. Seems it lifts the spirit of folks and sets a good tone for worship. I have followed this practice throughout my pastoral ministry.

 

That's me too, except once every 3 weeks when I'm not on the piano in the morning.

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

Some Baptist churches I've been to do the greeting thing near the beginning of the service with people walking around and shaking hands--hugging is optional. the pastor at one church hugged EVERYONE as they went out the door. It took a LONG time. Being in the choir, I started going out the back door after removing my robe to avoid the long wait in line; plus I've never liked being hugged by a man.

Other Baptist churches (including the one where I go now) don't do any greeting other than welcoming visitors from the pulpit. I know nothing about other denominations since I've been a Baptist since I was saved May 18, 1963.

 

At the Baptist church we are members of, they do this. I carry hand sanitizer. If you don't like it, the best way out of it is to join the choir, because then you're in the loft and not with the congregation. :laugh:

We attend Messianic services on another day of the week and they don't SAY to shake hands, they just say "Turn around and greet your neighbor with a Shabbat Shalom," but a lot of people shake hands or hug.

I do sometimes have issues with being touched by others, so I've come up with numerous ways to engage my hands if I start feeling panicky over it. Sometimes I'm busy looking intently for something in the bulletin/communique, digging in my purse for something, suddenly have to turn the other way to ask DH a question, or my favorite...grab a kleenex and start blowing my nose. Hugging your Bible to your breast with both hands also works, then you can just chat instead and keep your eyes upwards so if that hand comes towards you, you can't see it. Holding something in one hand and putting your hand over your mouth and saying "Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you in AGES" also avoids having to shake hands.

Even scarier is the end of the service when they join hands across the building. If the person across from me is a man and not my husband, or a woman who kinda skeers me, I just bow my head and shut my eyes tight and pray intensely and nobody interrupts to grasp my hand.

I detest being put in the position of feeling obligated to have physical contact with someone. If I wanted it, I would go ahead. I have my times where I'm fine with it and my times when I'm not, but don't like the obligatory factor that is so often introduced in public places. I've cleaned the women's bathroom and I've seen people walking out without washing their hands. I've seen the messes people leave behind. I've cleaned men's bathrooms and figure if they can't hit the potty, what ARE they hitting? And the soap in the men's restrooms? Why, oh why does it last three times as long as the soap in the women's? HMMM? Then I'm supposed to be okay with touching hands that may be contaminated with urine or feces? Nooooooo!

 

Firstly: :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Secondly: We're not all guilty.:laugh:

 

I somehow missed this thread earlier, but after reading it I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who isn't crazy about the meet and greet time. I think its great and all, but I wasn't raised as a touchy/feely person. I do try to hit a few of the areas that are less circulated, and usually will stop and talk to a couple of my buddies if I haven't seen them in a while. Also try to go up to the pianist and organist, both very sweet ladies and smile at them. I'll go out some, but I'm back to my seat as quick as I can be. My wife is all over the place, she's much more of a people person than I am.

 

I went to church out of town this week (FBC, Charleston, SC) and the best thing about it was--you guessed it--no meet and greet.

The whole service was completely formal. Traditional hymns; choir processional in robes; no drums, no guitar, just a really great pipe organ; pastor in a robe. I felt like I had died and gone to Heaven.