Hearing someone in a nearby pew say, "The peace of Christ be with you," is a normal part of worship in most mainline Protestant Churches. Erin Lane recently wrote a blog post sharing her experience of how awkward and stressful passing the peace was for her when attending worship by herself. She writes: Passing the peace was hands down the loneliest ritual I endured as a solo worshipper. . . waiting my turn for someone to turn toward me during the passing of the peace? Excruciating. Read More …
greeting
Refusing a Handshake (#0849)
Within church life, many congregations include a time of greeting/welcome during the worship service. During that time participants are encouraged to talk to one another, and many include friendly handshakes in those interactions. In recent years, however, an increasing number of people have opted out of the handshaking or any type of physical contact during these moments of fellowship. This trend is most noticeable during flu season. So What? Whether invited to pass Read More …