Today’s Word from Pastor Jim

Try to be witty or inspirational 520 times a decade. It is not easy. It is not easy to come up with a new church sign message every week. But it must be done. And it is nearly impossible not to offend someone in the process. Church signs that celebrate the birth of a baby or express well wishes to a newly married couple rarely offend. However, even those church signs can offend ex-spouses or lead to paternity suits.

Notable TLC Church signs:

“Join us, Jesus loves a party.”
I had a call telling me that Christianity was a serious matter, that my sign message would lead people to believe that church was fun. She ended the conversation by saying, “If you keep this up you are going to be attracting a lot of non-Christians.” Mic drop.

“Palm Sunday, Get Your Burro to Church.”
That provoked several calls.
“How can you put something so vulgar on a Christian Church sign?”
“Vulgar? You do know that there is a burro in the Palm Sunday story, right?”
“That is not what you are saying.”
“What am I saying?”
“You are saying to get your …..”
“Go ahead.”
“You are saying get your… ass to church.”
“That is what you are thinking? You should try to focus your mind on more heavenly things.”

“Sinners Welcome, Others Stay Home.”
Someone responded by telling me, “Next thing you know you are going to have a bunch of sinners in your church.”

“TLC The Total Loser Club.”
Thanks to Back Row Brian Appleby for this one.

“God Knows When You Were Last Here.”

This week the sign says, “Everything I put up here offends someone.” The other side says, “Consider the source. Don’t take your opinions too seriously.”

I have had several emails and texts. One woman told me not to be so snarky on a church sign meant for the public. Two told me that they almost drove off the road laughing, and one took a picture of side two and sent it to an opinionated family member.

In a time of great anxiety, uncertainty, stress and loss, people are easily offended. That sentence accurately describes the human journey. Every season has its anxiety, uncertainty, stress and loss. I would like to encourage us to keep our sense of humor, to laugh more, to be offended less, to be a little more patient, and to cut everyone you meet a break. Life is hard, but we will get through it together. And in the end, we will all look and act pretty much the same at the funeral home.

Keep smiling!

Pastor Jim