Sneering at people who work for the church.

Oh NotSpaghetti, I didn't think you were! I should have said that of course there are irritating people in all walks of life - and some of them end up volunteering!
I rather assumed that the original post was about the kind of people who like sneering, probably because of my own point of view.

My own pet hate is women who think it amusing to tell you that they were 'thrown out of Brownies' followed by a silly anecdote about how petty 'Brown Owl was (often to do with knickers, just to make it funnier).
I have no problem if someone didn't like Brownies - but as an adult please recognise my mum's contribution:
She would come home from a day's work, that would often include a stop to check on her frail parents. She would get everything ready, walk with us down to the Hall, where we would help set up activities. She would join in weekend workshops and keep herself up to date and plan sessions. She was thoughtful to those who had difficulty affording uniform or subs and made sure they could come on outings. Long before 'inclusion'she welcomed girls with disabilities and planned for them to be welcomed and able to take part. She did that for an entire generation. Her only, but best reward was to be cared for at the end of her life by nurses and carers who had been her Brownies, and their singing of campfire songs at her funeral is one of my best memories.

Of course, such service doesn't make an amusing anecdote!

I suppose the Church would need to be " user friendly" possibly changing the times of services and offering more outreach work maybe?

Our church is a true Community church-lots of volunteers as well as paid staff. There’s a community cafe-very reasonably priced; a food bank and a separate toddlers soft play cafe.

The people who volunteer do wonderful work but I used to help in the coffee centre and at sales but often was made to feel shut out and dictated to by people who had done it for longer so I stopped as I don't need that in my life. It involved a lot of tutting and sighs so not surprised people don't want to take over.

I suppose in all groups there are similar personality problems, but I kind of think it attracts folk to your cause (ie church) more if the personalities involved are a cut above, and kinder than in regular organisations.

Perhaps faith isn't the prime motivation in volunteering in church? I don't know, am merely an onlooker.

Mention of church workers makes me think (very fondly) of the novels of Barbara Pym, but IIRC there were sometimes fallings-out over who was going to do the flowers for a certain place, and how.
Not to mention someone often sighing for love over a handsome vicar or curate.

I dare say that in any organisation of volunteers there is going to be the odd Queen Bee (or male equiv. who wants to rule the roost (hive!). But I can’t think it’s more so among church workers than anywhere else, and, one would hope, rather less.

Both my brother and my SiL gave up a great deal of time once retired, to a) a charity for the elderly, and b) an animal charity, and both finally packed it in because of a level of in-fighting or control-freakery that made them despair.

I did once volunteer at the church I used to attend. For various reasons I no longer attend, although a believer. I gave it up as in the end I was getting left with the lot! The more you do, the more it's taken for granted. I felt the duties I had were getting left to me, while various other volunteers made excuses as to why they could not do X, but were happy to take the credit for my efforts. As it is I left the church and the volunteering behind. I don't miss either. Don't get me wrong, met some lovely people and met some downright nasty pieces of work.

It is harder and harder to find younger people to volunteer in church. Partly as others have said because they are out working in the week and the weekends are full up, partly because they don't feel part of the community anyway.

But also because some of the jobs which need doing are not something younger folk tend to do. Especially flower arranging, who knows how to do that these days? It scares them off!!

I’m offended by anyone sneering at religion in general. I would consider myself to be Christian although not a regular churchgoer. I respect anyone’s right to believe or to not believe but I get annoyed when I see on other fora, someone’s belief in their God being denigrated or people being sneered at for believing in a ‘sky fairy’. There really is no need to be offensive just because you may hold a different belief or none at all.

Having been in a line of work that meant being in churches of all varieties I can afirm that there are some very bossy /hitler types. I was once told to take my shoes off by a church volunteer,there were 200 + guests in the church and they weren't told to take their shoes off because of the new carpet but my OH and I were ..seems photographers are a different breed or wear inferior shoes, ! Then theres the I know the minister SAYS you can take pictures from there but I'M telling you its not allowed in MY church type,met a lot of them in my 50 years in the business.We've been told not to park our car in the car park as its for "congregation only" this depite the fact we need to be quick off the mark when the couple leave and parking two streets down doesn't really work .Not all are like this but there is a very significant number .Its a superiority complex I think and they need to prove they have power .I must admit I wont miss the stress they cause when we retire ...very soon .