Let the little children come ...

I have blogged before about some of the hilarious things I've heard while looking around for a church that our family might want to attend. In fact, the funniest thing I heard was at a church that was actually a pretty good fit for us - perhaps the second-best 'fitting' church we have visited in our time here.

There was another great moment we had at a different church, and I've forgotten to blog about it until now.

It was time for the children to leave for their own programs during the morning service. The man up the front was in a particularly jovial, grinning, hand-wringing, bobbing-up-and-down-on-his-heels mood, and if you've spent much time with Christians you'll recognise this particular caricature in people you've met.

As is common in churches, when the children leave the numbers are reduced to a half of the original congregation. Amid the bustle and murmur of children and attending adults all making an exit, the person up the front usually feels the need to make some comment on proceedings.

The jovial, hand-wringing man that particular day wished to comment positively on the number of children attending their programs.

Unfortunately, the words he chose, as he gushed enthusiastically with a huge grin plastered across his face were "Ah! Look at that! It's great to see them go!"

We were amused, and in some cases, ever-so-slightly in agreement.