Monday, June 17, 2013

Things about church meetings that annoy me

Although these things don't just happen in church meetings.

1) Powerpoint presentations
The person who invented powerpoint is brilliant: it's a marvellous creation. Unfortunately, in my albeit limited experience, most people who use it do so badly. At its best, a powerpoint presentation can enhance a talk, bring it to life; at its worst it's an irritating distraction. 

It's not meant to provide an on-screen word-for-word echo of what the speaker is saying. And we don't need googled images of a typical Jew from old biblical times to create a picture in our minds. In fact, let's ban powerpoint from Sunday meetings. 

2) 'Excuse me, do you mind if I interrupt for a moment?'
Yes, I do mind. Except I never get the chance to say that as the interrupter has already dived in. 

When I want to speak to someone, if I see he is already engaged in conversation, I will hover around the fringe until he's finished. But if I'm talking to someone and another person wants to speak to that someone more often that not, she will butt it - politely of course - and take over. Thus indicating that what she has to say is far more important and by inference that I am of no importance. 

Actually the worst instance happened a few months ago. I was speaking to a visitor when a person, let's say high up in the church hierarchy, came across, interrupted and took over. Another equally high up person also came across to join this conversation, from which I was now excluded, leaving me to drift off quietly to brood and snarl under my breath. The visitor turned out to be the father of another highly-regarded regular, so the interest from the upper echelons was explained. Strangely enough I've never experienced such interest when a relative of mine is present ...

But the worm is turning. Last time I wanted to interrupt I did so. (But only to ask my question and then leave.) So yah boo sucks.


4 comments:

Mike Tea said...

We had a visiting preacher recently whose Powerpoint was a complete train crash! so fast it was almost like subliminal advertising, some images deeply distressing but passing so fast you didn't have time to say "good grief!"

It looked as though it had been put together in a laboratory where they were testing psychedelic substances.

Katney said...

When I taught powerpoint in the computer lab, the kids were long on getting all the bells and whistles working, short on making sure their content was complete and clear, and of course, totally oblivious to that fact that they would have to present this to an audience. Convincing them was nearly futile.

MaryB said...

Amen. And amen.

Liz Hinds said...

I wonder what they're thinking when they prepare them, mike.

Gimmicks always triumph over simplicity I'm afraid, katney.

And thrice, mary.