Every pastor has had this happen. Ten minutes before the service starts, you’re trying to pray with the assisting minister and two rambunctious acolytes. Someone rushes up shouting, “Pastor, the toilet is overflowing in the ladies’ room!” What are you supposed to do? Or it’s just after the service and you are greeting 150 members. Someone passing by mutters, “Pastor, Sarah is going in for surgery tomorrow. I don’t know what it’s for or at what hospital, besides, I thought you probably knew already.” What? Sarah who? Where? When?

Or you’re the organist knocking out a Vierne organ finale as a postlude (obviously not me). Simultaneously, an irate parishioner is demanding to know why they changed the tune for the first hymn. Or you’re the church secretary and somebody drops a notice for the bulletin in your lap as they come back from communion. Or maybe you’re the bookkeeper and they hand you a bill for pew pencils while you’re praying. Or maybe you’re a council member just sitting down and someone starts fussing at you about why they don’t have hazelnut coffee creamer at fellowship time.

KNOCK IT OFF!

St. Benedict, a fifth century monk, wrote that business needed to be taken care of at the proper times “so that no one may be troubled or vexed in the house of prayer.” We go to church to worship the Lord. The other “stuff” can wait. If God had wanted us to bug each other about “church busyness” around worship time, he never would have given us the cell phone.

Read John 4:24 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne