FROM PASTOR TO PASTURE
Communication Says Something
I will never forget driving down a busy boulevard one Sunday morning and passing a huge white tent set up in a parking lot for a fundraising activity for an animal rights group. The sign that caught my eye said: “Come On In – Free Hotdogs!” I have to admit; I laughed until I cried! I have always regretted not going back to take a picture! Speaking of funny signs or misprints, here are a few bloopers that were reportedly printed in church bulletins: • The Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done. • Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please use the back door. • Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community. • Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you. • The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight: Searching for Jesus. • The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday. 62
Cooperative Farming News
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice. • The 1997 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11. • The choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir. I found many more church bulletin misprints that were hilarious, but that I figured someone might find inappropriate to reprint even for a laugh. It is amazing how just one letter, one word, or a grammatical or punctuation error can totally change what is communicated. This is one reason why it is reported that at least 50% of text messages and emails are misunderstood by the recipients. Back in the days of handwritten letters, we often wrote enough words that our emotions and intent were more clearly understood. If the interpretation of one paragraph was questionable, the others would bring clarification. With text messages and emails, however, the communication is most often so brief, there is little room to change initial impressions. Voice inflection, volume and punctuation also
