The folks you preach to...

Here's a gem I ran across this morning:

On a church bulletin, for Palm Sunday 1943, written in bold strokes are these words: "I was so disappointed, for I wanted to hear a good Palm Sunday sermon. He is too inclined to be "cute" and funny."

And again next to the title of the sermon (which was" God at Your Door") this person writes, "terrible sermon."

And now we have it in our archives where it will testify throughout the ages that this particular sermon, at least to one auditor, was a real flop.

Ha ha. Its a humorous find alright, but it also is quite telling. This person, man or woman I cannot fully tell from the handwriting, came to church wanting a good sermon yet was served up a helping of "cute and funny."

I know that you can't please all the people all the time...yada, yada, yada. Still, its a shame when folks come to church asking for bread and get a stone in return.

I'll have my laughs at this little bulletin (the author of which I'm sure never intended his/her comments to be preserved), but I'll also take it seriously when I prepare to preach. For no criticism of preaching (or class, or small group meeting) is so stinging as "it was a waste of my time."

Grace and peace.