Toilet Paper Puns are Tearable

Week 7 of 52 Churches in 52 Weeks:

First Impressions at First United Methodist Church of Wausau

First impressions.

It’s that split-second moment where two humans lay eyes on each other for the first time. Our mind’s stimuli will race at lightning speed based off mere seconds and snap preconceptions, zeroing in on the essence of someone’s personality by means of eye contact, physical appearance, posture, body movement, or if they have a booger dangling out of their nose. This mental snapshot creates a significant potency that can stay etched into a memory bank forever.

A first impression is one of the most fascinating experiences I’ve grown to anticipate since beginning my spiritual reformation of worshiping in 52 Churches in 52 Weeks. I’m always curious as to what type of reaction I get as a foreign worshiper. Who will greet me? What will they say? How will they perceive me?

Typically, the first impression is a generic “good morning” from one of the greeters or ushers handing out bulletins. Once in awhile, the pastor will scan the congregation, pick me out, and venture over to shake my hand. The best type of reaction is when I settle into a pew and nearby congregants strike-up a friendly conversation with me, showing a genuine…