From this week’s newsletter, and the launch of our 2017 birthday month theme, Vince writing on Oversharing is the Brand:
A few weeks ago, one of my colleagues began the service by launching right into the welcome, accidentally skipping over the poem and the opening song. I panicked, wondering whether to intervene and how.
I remembered a mentor who impressed upon me the importance of the opening moments of worship. “That is the time when you gain the congregation’s trust, when they see that you are capable of leading them through, and they can relax and let themselves be present.”
I realized we could just as easily skip the poem and use the opening song somewhere else. No one would even know the difference. So, of course, I broke in and started screaming. “No! No! It’s not time yet! We’re supposed to be doing the poem!” Then I hit mute and congratulated myself on the perfect response.
OK, maybe not perfect. Typical. On brand.
As Rebecca and I have been saying for the last four years, “Oversharing is the brand.” When we’re preaching. When we’re talking to denominational committees that hold our future in their hands. When someone makes a tiny mistake that no one would have even noticed. Why not say everything?
And not just the preachers. All of us. In our stories, in our prayers, in our friendships we encourage each other to put it all on the table. Your fears and failures. Your abortions and anal fissures. SO many stories about peeing and pooping your pants.
We’re here for it. This month it’s even our theme. (If you’ve got a story that seems like TMI, HMU!) And maybe it’s not exactly relaxing to hear it all. Maybe it makes you question our capability. But hopefully, over time, it does help us learn to trust each other. Saying it all. Being there for it all.
Be there for it. Sundays at 5 pm.