Opinions, please....

[ChTatum]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

It's a shame you have to parent your parishoners' children....

Never pastored, huh?

[Aquila]

I think you were right on.

Personally, I'd hold a short meeting immediately after church and brief the entire church that cell phone use and texting has gotten out of control. I'd then inform them that minors seen using their cell phones or texting during service will be asked to step outside the sanctuary and that their parents, or responsible party, will be asked to come and get them. I'd then inform the ushers that they are to keep watch during church services and any minor found using a cell phone or texting is to be politely removed from the sanctuary. They are then to locate the child's parents or responsible party, seek them out, and have them come get the child. The minor will then expected to sit with their parents for the remainder of the service.

[jrpreacher]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I think you were right on.

Personally, I'd hold a short meeting immediately after church and brief the entire church that cell phone use and texting has gotten out of control. I'd then inform them that minors seen using their cell phones or texting during service will be asked to step outside the sanctuary and that their parents, or responsible party, will be asked to come and get them. I'd then inform the ushers that they are to keep watch during church services and any minor found using a cell phone or texting is to be politely removed from the sanctuary. They are then to locate the child's parents or responsible party, seek them out, and have them come get the child. The minor will then expected to sit with their parents for the remainder of the service.

Thats a lot of distrsction in service! Ushers coming and going kids and parents.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by jrpreacher

Thats a lot of distrsction in service! Ushers coming and going kids and parents.

You got THAT big of a problem at your place?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by jrpreacher

Thats a lot of distrsction in service! Ushers coming and going kids and parents.

My logic is this....

Having preached before, I wouldn't interrupt the message with calling out the child's name and asking them to put it away...such could easily disrupt what the Spirit is doing in the heart of a listener, not to mention distract me and cause me to loose focus. I believe that the preacher should "preach" his message without interruption. When God is moving with the preaching we don't need him having to police the saints or their children.

Ushers can quietly walk up to a minor and whisper, "Sorry, please step outside with me.", leading the child out of the sanctuary. Most likely the parent will see this (hopefully being embarrassed) and already make their move to meet their child in the lobby. For those who don't see this the usher can then leave the child supervised by the greeter in the lobby and quietly get the parent to come get their child.

At first...I expect this to be VERY distracting. Embarrassing the child, the parent, and perhaps invoking some degree of displeasure from some of the congregation. My hopes is that it's such an issue that parents warn their children of "You ever do that in church and I'll..." After a couple of services I see it not being an issue again.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Sherri

We have an announcement screen that asks everyone to turn off their cell phones too, but some people don't pay any attention to those screens.

Christ Church has the same announcement on the screens before service. I thought one of the funniest confessions I heard was years ago when Stan Mitchell sheephishly told about being aggravated when after a service started he heard a cell phone ringing and then after a few rings he realized it was his! He had forgotten to turn it off.