We've had a few discussions about this before in my single adults' class for 30's and 40's, although it's usually more in regard to our own assembly and classes. In particular, the director has interrupted 'prayer requests and praises' time a few times because people continue to talk when others are "sharing" their tragedies or extolling their magnificent blessings. But if you know singles' departments in medium-to-large churches, you might guess that the director herself does a lot of talking and whispering in the worship services about activities, contacts, absences, et al. It's the same general story that lasts from nursery school to nursing home extension ... the message 'we' need to convey is important and now. More so than hearing about Annie Jo's cousin's sprained toe, or the 'miracle' of getting a promotion someone's been after for 5 years; or the pastor reading John 3:16 or Romans 8:28 or Jeremiah 29:11.
I remember one such discussion about this, and some concluded that's just one of the 'flaws' about the 'system' that it's hard to do anything about. While some in our group talk to their close fellow members every day or 2 and keep up with what's happening, most of us only see each other that one day a week, so we tend to think of that as "our time," and we delay the formalities of assembly too long in 'fellowshipping' with each other and sometimes don't make visitors feel welcome by that behavior, besides not being respectful when others are sharing for the whole group their matters of concern.
I know this thread was meant to be more about the worship assembly than Bible Study departments, but it comes down to the same things ... see friends who had something going on the past week, and we want to find out what happened, for example, instead of sit silently getting preached at. The casual attitudes of society-- reflected in this way, as well as in casual dress and a distaste for rigidity-- have just pushed us in that direction.
