I was driving home yesterday and passed a small church. Hanging from the church was a large, bright banner advertising Easter stuff.
In big, huge letters, the banner said :
“EGG HUNT 9:30 a.m.”
This isn’t the only church that has one of these things going on; they’re all over the place. For some reason, churches have come up with the idea that if you don’t go to church at all and have no thoughts about going to church whatsoever, the opportunity to find little plastic eggs may be just the thing to change your mind.
When I was a kid I don’t recall being that excited about egg hunts – although I think our church probably did them. When my daughter was very young, I don’t think she was excited about egg hunts; she would get into it for a few minutes, and then get tired of it pretty quickly. When I was a pastor, I’m pretty sure our church had egg hunts sometimes on Easter (not normally on other Sundays though), but it seems like they were sort of an afterthought and not intended to be the main drawing force to bring people to our church stuff. Actually, I think the bigger purpose of our Egg Hunts was to give the Egg Hunt planning people something to do.
It’s not that I’m against the Egg Hunt. Admittedly, I think it’s sort of lame, but I’m fine with it, as long as I don’t have to get involved with it. I’m not protesting Egg Hunts – I’m just saying – what is the attraction?
Are people sitting at home, all depressed because of the economy and other stuff, having conversations like this:
Ed: Man, I had another crappy day.
Alice: Sorry Ed. That seems to be happening a lot lately.
Ed: Indeed it does, Alice. Life is so difficult, and I just can’t seem to find any hope.
Alice: If only we could find a place with a decent Egg Hunt.
Ed: You Wish!! That would solve so much, but I think that’s just too much to ask for.
If there are people like that around, then maybe the Egg Hunt Churches have stumbled upon a good thing. Go for it.
Rabbit hunting. I think that’s the answer. Less lame, definitely.
OK Charlie now you have ticked me off(first time ever) I could take it back in the day when you mocked fishing but now you have mocked HUNTING allbeit a crude form of it. However it would be classified as bird hunting ( well future bird hunting)which is one the most popular outdoors activities in America.
But I forgive you as I understand what motivates you and what does not.
Artistic expression of most forms motivate you.
Searching for things that you did personally lose does not motivate you especially if someone intentionally lost something for the sole purpose of making you find it.
Soooo what if we gave your favorite musical artists each an egg and asked them nicely to hide themselves with the egg they are holding
then you go and find them. HERE’S THE TWIST!
Any artist and theirs eggs that you don’t find at the end of five minutes will brainwashed to perform covers of Gather songs. I for one can’t wait to to hear Bono singing some country gospel.
Charley, I just started reading your blog. You are very clever and funny! About egg hunts…I love them! So does one of my two children and my grandchildren! Abby will actually have us hide the eggs over and over so she can find them again and again. It’s the thrill of the hunt! The feeling of accomplishment, the competition and the surprise inside! (Didn’t we all used to buy Cracker Jacks for the surprise inside?)Does it go with church and the true meaning of Easter-no. But it’s good, clean, relatively cheap fun! We can all use a little more fun in life!