Benevolent policy

[Delightful Life]

Just the thought of making a policy makes me cringe inside. Guidelines may be,but policy?

know what you mean :3 the feeling of as soon as you make something a law, more of the life & spontaneity of one's group is lost? another reason i don't like joining groups

Two years back, our council had made a policy that anybody panhandling in front of the church on a Sunday is to be told to come back during the week when the office is open, because it makes the church goers uncomfortable.

If your church goers aren't uncomfortable during any event at their church, they're doing it wrong

Being a christian should be an uncomfortable experience

Comfortable people are missing the point -- and here I don't mean full-on panic attack, but a general discomfort at society, at civilization, at one's life, at one's christianity

So those panhandlers were are reminder of the natural human state and shame on the people for trying to change some outside influence to make them feel 'comfortable'

Unexamined lives and foisting off personal responsibility for feelings and all that jazz...and maybe this is one of the reasons why the UCC numbers are falling...a need to be comfortable in one's Christianity and avoid uncomfort...hmm...
[/QUOTE]

 

[Seeler]

A response I've given to a woman who is a regular at our Wednesday morning program, and who sometimes panhandles near out door on Sunday morning.
Cathy: Hi, Seeler, can you help me out for a cup of coffee?
Me: Hi, Cathy. My it's chilly this morning. I'm sorry, I don't have anything to spare right now. But if you'd like to come in and sit down out of the cold, why don't you come in and sit with me?
Cathy: Oh, I don't know. I'm not dressed for it.
Me: That doesn't matter. I'm sure God doesn't care and neither will anybody else.
Cathy: Well, maybe some other time.
Me: Okay. But if you're still around in an hour or so, we always have coffee and cookies or something to eat after the service. Just come through those doors into the gym. You know where the gym is - where you come on Wednesdays. Come and join us for a coffee then.

I was pleased the following week when I entered the hall after service, Cathy (who isn't quiet) called me from across the room.
Cathy: "Hi Seeler. Look, I've come in like you invited me. This is good coffee and brownies."

She's never come to church service, but every now and then she comes in after church for coffee.

 

[qwerty]

What a wonderful thing, Seeler

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

Yes, Seeler, my idea on how to handle the situation would have been similar- have a few dedicated people that eel responsible to invite a person the way you did.