What the hell.
Backstory:
My younger son was cast as the part of baby Jesus in the live nativity (that does say 'live', right?) That's great, I said, and we invited several people, some of whom would never set foot in a church if it wasn't to see my adorable son who everyone he's ever met has instantly fell in love with.
My wife brings Baby to the dress rehearsal, missing older son's bedtime and dinner as a family in order to arrive relatively on time. (there is no more on time for us with the kids) So she gets there, and she's sitting there for a bit, Baby is grinning at everyone and basically hamming it up like he does, when one of the people in charge of the play comes over to them and says something along the lines of, the Pastor (not 'the church' or 'I', but 'the Pastor') has decided we should use a doll instead of a real baby.
Oh. Great. Awesome. And they'd known it for a couple days and just forgot to call.
/Backstory
Dear Pastor:
Due to the recent uncasting of my son in the nativity play, I now know (confirmed) of one person who I had invited and was absolutely going to come to the performance who is now not coming. I am sure the replacement doll has many fans who will certainly come to make up for that person and any others I may have invited this week.
If the doll's stardom is not the reason for my son's replacement, perhaps, instead, you thought that a baby that is guaranteed not to cry would enhance the performance somehow. I'm sure your perfectionism will not be lost at all on God, and I'm sure he'll show you exactly the best you can do apart from Him. If you think your behaviour on this production has been in line with God's will for it, I would remind you that my wife left the dress rehearsal not because our son was cut, but because she did not want our son to see our Pastor yelling at the person running the sound.
I know you want it to be perfect - but that's not really up to you, and nothing you do can make the show any better than God will. God will get the message out to those who need to hear it, even if the pitch is a little off. People who are offended because the choir is not perfect are not going to be reached even with a perfect choir. It's not the choir that softens hearts, or the music, or the nativity play.
On another note, do you know the curriculum in the nursery? I volunteered in nursery a couple times, and I thought it might be nice to play some Bible songs, or worship music, or anything instead of a video. So I turned it on before anyone else got there, just so I would have the monopoly on media and the kids could actually hear something about God and Jesus. Then, the regular nursery worker arrived, turned off the music and put in a video. The videos in the nursery are mostly Baby Einstein, which is fine, except for the lack of God or Jesus. This is church. And now that you've started a campaign to discourage babies from participating in worship with their parents, there is no way to introduce them to God and Jesus at church anymore.
It's more like going to a show than a church. Remember that one man, who said don't feel guilty about having so much, because we need it to attract people here? The people the lights, projectors, and fancy building attract are the same people who are going to turn the church into a Sunday social club instead of a place of worship. The people you want here are the people who are attracted by the light of God emanating from the people already inside, not the lights or the projectors.
Hope you are well. Merry Christmas.
Signed,
Jythier
P.S. Messages are great, keep up the good work.