Using Your Bulletin...

May 16, 2001 - © Betty Steele Everett, "God's Vitamin 'C' for the Spirit of Women

Most Lutheran churches print bulletins every Sunday. Some contain the order of service, some contain news of the congregation, others might contain lists of people hospitalized and who is serving the Lord in that day's service. Special announcements can be found in the bulletin as well as the coming weeks schedule. I have in the past added Bible passages, especially passages appropriate for the season (such as a "Poupourri of Passages for Labor Day").

But what do we do with those bulletins after the service concludes? There have been times when something pastor says in the sermon strikes a thought and I jot it down and keep for future reference. A writer always jots down thoughts and the stack of bulletins by my computer is testimony of that. Or one of that Sunday's readings opens a thought that I scribble down (Thank you, AAL, for providing pencils in the pews!).

Take a look at this woman's use of the bulletin--not only on Sunday, but as it seems to be the day planner for her week as well! Have you used your bulletin in a some way after the Sunday service? If so, let us know what you do with your bulletin in the Discussion forum. ~john

My husband had a touch of the flu so I was alone as I entered the church that Sunday morning. A woman I knew slightly had arrived in front of me, and we greeted each other as the usher handed us each a bulletin - clean, smooth, and colorful.

Because we were both alone, we sat together in a pew near the middle of the sanctuary. I used my bulletin to follow the order of worship, even though I knew it by heart, and to check the numbers of the hymns and the Scripture being used today. When the hour was over, my bulletin was still as clean and new, looking as before.

But I had noticed my pew mate scribbling on hers all through the service. Now as she started to put it into her purse, she saw me watching, and her face got a little pink.

"I couldn't get along without my bulletin this week," she said with a laugh.

I must have shown my surprise. "I always just throw mine away." What value could a bulletin be after the service was over?

"Oh, I couldn't do that!" She handed me the bulletin she was saving and explained each entry.

By the hymn listing of "Sweet Hour of Prayer" was a note. "Marie ...Favorite ... Cleveland ... Pray ... Write." Marie was an old friend who now lived in Cleveland. She had come to mind because this had been her favorite hymn, but now there would be a prayer and a note from an old friend for her.

The copyright of the article Using Your Bulletin... in Lutheranism is owned by Betty Steele Everett, "God's Vitamin 'C' for the Spirit of Women. Permission to republish Using Your Bulletin... in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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