Niceties Don't Sell
Stories
LECTIONARY TALES FOR THE PULPIT
Series III, Cycle A
During the time of the Christian church in Corinth, a trance--like state testified to the fact that you were a Christian. Or if you had strange or ecstatic speech, you were considered a devout believer. Why? If you had a spectacular gift, you were considered gifted by God.
It's true that the greasy wheel gets the oil. The more sensational stories make the headlines. But there are truly devout, deeply spiritual people who never get one moment's notice, yet they possess unparalleled gifts from God. They also have spiritual gifts.
Marsha's church group has quietly been making hundreds of quilts every year to be sent overseas with a world relief organization. Three times a week, ladies get together to chat, sew, and piece quilts together from donated fabrics. The fabric is ironed, put onto long tables, and then cut into large squares. They are sewn together with other coordinating colors. The ladies also use donated clothing that is no longer in style. A team works quietly at home taking out seams and converting the articles into fabric pieces. Another team works diligently cutting and ironing these into smaller, usable squares. A large group gets together the first and third Tuesday of the month to transform quilt tops into finished quilts.
Marsha is proud of her group's efforts. In the 23 years they have been getting together in the church basement, they have sent almost 12,000 quilts for missions and world relief. Seventeen hundred smaller quilts have been made for church baptisms and to be donated to the local children's hospital AIDS wing.
Marsha has never been in the newspaper. She doesn't expect to be nor does she seek to be in the newspaper. But what is curious is that when a new youth director had a sexual misconduct charge brought against him, it was all over the paper. Her church became known for the alleged deed of this young man. It made Marsha sad. She wished the news focused on all the good her church did.
But goodness doesn't sell.
Rod's church has been working with neighboring Presbyterian and Reformed Church in America congregations as they joined efforts to build a youth center in the old theater building. There is a computer room with five computers that young people can use for an hour at a time. There are several tape recorders and CD players with countless headphones lying on the floor.
The theater's seats were taken out, and the floor lends itself well as a huge recreation room. There is a pool table to the side and five vending machines dispense anything from crackers to chips and juice to pop. Dances are held in the theater basement.
The three church groups have been working together quite successfully. Each of the churches took turns painting and decorating a different area of the theater. Four of the dads built a long skateboard ramp. Several moms helped make curtains and tablecloths. An area nursery donated several trees and hedges for the side lawn. There is an outdoor roller rink adjacent to the theater with bright lights that stay on until 10 p.m. Three basketball hoops wave in the breeze.
The youth center has not been featured outside their small local newspaper. But when their respective governing church bodies discussed the Call to Common Mission, it was front page news, featuring all the concerns each side had. Rod's friends didn't understand. How could their churches start and effectively run a youth center in their own town when their national church groups were portrayed in the news as "bickering" and "constantly in--fighting"? Rod wished the youth center were the focus of the media.
But harmony doesn't sell.
Niceties don't sell newspapers or television news spots. It is much more interesting and a better seller when sexual misconduct or fighting is featured. Issues of race, homosexuality, and the like garner much attention. Issues of disaster relief, homelessness, and youth programs don't.
Still, Marsha and Rod persevere. As do countless others. They are not after media attention. They wish to show the face of a faithful community. They will continue to show anyone who might look for the face of God's love, grace, and mercy. Niceties don't sell; but niceties shape the way believers behave.
It's true that the greasy wheel gets the oil. The more sensational stories make the headlines. But there are truly devout, deeply spiritual people who never get one moment's notice, yet they possess unparalleled gifts from God. They also have spiritual gifts.
Marsha's church group has quietly been making hundreds of quilts every year to be sent overseas with a world relief organization. Three times a week, ladies get together to chat, sew, and piece quilts together from donated fabrics. The fabric is ironed, put onto long tables, and then cut into large squares. They are sewn together with other coordinating colors. The ladies also use donated clothing that is no longer in style. A team works quietly at home taking out seams and converting the articles into fabric pieces. Another team works diligently cutting and ironing these into smaller, usable squares. A large group gets together the first and third Tuesday of the month to transform quilt tops into finished quilts.
Marsha is proud of her group's efforts. In the 23 years they have been getting together in the church basement, they have sent almost 12,000 quilts for missions and world relief. Seventeen hundred smaller quilts have been made for church baptisms and to be donated to the local children's hospital AIDS wing.
Marsha has never been in the newspaper. She doesn't expect to be nor does she seek to be in the newspaper. But what is curious is that when a new youth director had a sexual misconduct charge brought against him, it was all over the paper. Her church became known for the alleged deed of this young man. It made Marsha sad. She wished the news focused on all the good her church did.
But goodness doesn't sell.
Rod's church has been working with neighboring Presbyterian and Reformed Church in America congregations as they joined efforts to build a youth center in the old theater building. There is a computer room with five computers that young people can use for an hour at a time. There are several tape recorders and CD players with countless headphones lying on the floor.
The theater's seats were taken out, and the floor lends itself well as a huge recreation room. There is a pool table to the side and five vending machines dispense anything from crackers to chips and juice to pop. Dances are held in the theater basement.
The three church groups have been working together quite successfully. Each of the churches took turns painting and decorating a different area of the theater. Four of the dads built a long skateboard ramp. Several moms helped make curtains and tablecloths. An area nursery donated several trees and hedges for the side lawn. There is an outdoor roller rink adjacent to the theater with bright lights that stay on until 10 p.m. Three basketball hoops wave in the breeze.
The youth center has not been featured outside their small local newspaper. But when their respective governing church bodies discussed the Call to Common Mission, it was front page news, featuring all the concerns each side had. Rod's friends didn't understand. How could their churches start and effectively run a youth center in their own town when their national church groups were portrayed in the news as "bickering" and "constantly in--fighting"? Rod wished the youth center were the focus of the media.
But harmony doesn't sell.
Niceties don't sell newspapers or television news spots. It is much more interesting and a better seller when sexual misconduct or fighting is featured. Issues of race, homosexuality, and the like garner much attention. Issues of disaster relief, homelessness, and youth programs don't.
Still, Marsha and Rod persevere. As do countless others. They are not after media attention. They wish to show the face of a faithful community. They will continue to show anyone who might look for the face of God's love, grace, and mercy. Niceties don't sell; but niceties shape the way believers behave.
