Ask people why people attend

[Archaea]

sacarment meeting, and you'll get a myriad of answers, ranging from, because it's a commandment, which I guess is as honest answer as any other, to be uplifted, to renew covenants.

Rarely, does one hear the answer, because I want to see people I know and to take the sacrament. Or tradition.

Am I the only one who expects absolutely nothing from sacrament speakers? I really don't care what they speak of. I don't care too much about their preparation, or if they convey the Spirit. Why? If they are interesting, I might learn something I haven't heard and might not. No matter.

I always have options. I can sleep. I can read something I brought to inform myself or I can entertain a neighboring child.

Anybody else believe the speakers have any obligations to you as a listener?

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Archaea

sacarment meeting, and you'll get a myriad of answers, ranging from, because it's a commandment, which I guess is as honest answer as any other, to be uplifted, to renew covenants.

Rarely, does one hear the answer, because I want to see people I know and to take the sacrament. Or tradition.

Am I the only one who expects absolutely nothing from sacrament speakers? I really don't care what they speak of. I don't care too much about their preparation, or if they convey the Spirit. Why? If they are interesting, I might learn something I haven't heard and might not. No matter.

I always have options. I can sleep. I can read something I brought to inform myself or I can entertain a neighboring child.

Anybody else believe the speakers have any obligations to you as a listener?

There are usually 2 or 3 good talks per year. And interestingly, one of them is a HC. I wish he came more. And this is in my rather unique ward, where a huge fraction of the ward holds a Ph.D and most of the others have a M.S.

I think there is an obligation to do more than find a few quotes from gen. conference. When I was in the bishopric and was tasked with getting speakers, I invited people to dig a little, and find out what particular passages, related to the topic that week, meant to them personally. However, in almost all cases, they looked at me funny and then dug up a few quotes, rambled on about things we've all heard a thousand times before, and were done with it.

At least for now, I can prepare for the upcoming week's seminary lessons. Pulling faces at kids is always tempting as well.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by Archaea

sacarment meeting, and you'll get a myriad of answers, ranging from, because it's a commandment, which I guess is as honest answer as any other, to be uplifted, to renew covenants.

Rarely, does one hear the answer, because I want to see people I know and to take the sacrament. Or tradition.

Am I the only one who expects absolutely nothing from sacrament speakers? I really don't care what they speak of. I don't care too much about their preparation, or if they convey the Spirit. Why? If they are interesting, I might learn something I haven't heard and might not. No matter.

I always have options. I can sleep. I can read something I brought to inform myself or I can entertain a neighboring child.

Anybody else believe the speakers have any obligations to you as a listener?

I have no expectations of speakers. I usually (probably unfairly) engage or zone out in the first three minutes. If I zone out, I'll crack open the scriptures and read. I'm there to take the sacrament and to feel the spirit if possible. If that isn't going to happen with the speaker, then it usually does as I read the scriptures.

That is not to say I am critical of the speaker; they are doing their best.

[il Padrino Ute]

I go to Sacrament Meeting so I can play travel games with my kids as we sit in the back pew.

Of course, it's tough to play Slug Bug, but I liken it to an exercise in faith that there actually is a green VW Beetle out in the parking lot.

[SeattleUte]

Professional clergy is the solution. Pass the hat around and rent a seasoned minister from a Protestant Church.

[YOhio]

I go to sacrament meeting to renew covenants, feel the spirit, make fun of the Deacon's hair, whisper Songs of Solomon in my wife's ear, identify the accent of the speakers, feed my daughter an entire pantry of Cheerios, look at the Bible maps, prepare my EQ lesson, read the Ensign, predict who will be bearing their testimony, read the hymnbook, chit-chat with my brother in law, and listen to occassionally uplifting talks.

[BarbaraGordon]

I skip our equivalent of Sacrament and just attend Sunday School, an all-women's class, for the fellowship. Right now we're reading through a book called The Dream Giver. The writing is about on a second-grade level but it has a decent point, anyway.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Professional clergy is the solution. Pass the hat around and rent a seasoned minister from a Protestant Church.

Why would I want professional clergy? They can be just as boring, and now you know you paid that guy or gal to be boring.

I'm not at Church to be entertained, informed or otherwise enlightened. I don't expect that from a church meeting. I expect to meet people, to renew associations and to hear a few talks, some good, some bad, and to sleep due to a moment of rest being provided.

Unless Bart Ehrman or Mark Goodacre is speaking, what is the average paid clergy going to tell me? Not a whole hell of a lot.

[BlueHair]

Sacrament Meeting sucks especially on Fast Sunday. Hearing the same old vain repetitions is enough to make me scream. If/when I am made Prophet, we will have an opening prayer, announcements, the sacrament service, and dismiss for classes. EQ and RS opening exercises will be eliminated and classes will be 1/2 hour long. The only closing prayer will be at the end of the 1 1/2 hour service. My motto will be "Cut the fluff". Also, it will be absolutely forbidden to have a song and scriptural thought at auxillary meetings. Once per month we will have a ward picnic like on Little House on the Prairie. Complete with horseshoes, pie eating contests, and three legged races. This will count as Home and Visiting Teaching.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by BlueHair

Sacrament Meeting sucks especially on Fast Sunday. Hearing the same old vain repetitions is enough to make me scream. If/when I am made Prophet, we will have an opening prayer, announcements, the sacrament service, and dismiss for classes. EQ and RS opening exercises will be eliminated and classes will be 1/2 hour long. The only closing prayer will be at the end of the 1 1/2 hour service. My motto will be "Cut the fluff". Also, it will be absolutely forbidden to have a song and scriptural thought at auxillary meetings. Once per month we will have a ward picnic like on Little House on the Prairie. Complete with horseshoes, pie eating contests, and three legged races. This will count as Home and Visiting Teaching.

You have my vote... especially if I get to be in the three-legged race with that cute Mary Ingalls.