Church group monopolizes lobby

[BelleWDW]

Had a weird experience.
Stayed at a small lodge in a National Park recently
only 40 rooms, small lobby(Visualize 1/6 of Wilderness Lodge's lobby size-with a dining room off that. The lobby had a fireplace-3 sofas and maybe 8 comfy chairs.

So we notice a group of older women -maybe 12-sitting there as we seat ourselves in dining room at 7:3o PM for dinner. Our table is maybe 15 feet from them.About 8 pm A heavy set man arrives in sweats (He is their Minister)and they all start SINGING! We then realize they belong to the Church bus parked in the parking lot.

Dh and I finish, then we walked into the small gift shop, and could then hear the women giving "testimony" on various health issues and God curing them etc. We then went to our room

I felt that the inn staff should have suggested they move to a closed dining area-or the unused upstairs meeting room-noone else could use the lobby when this was going on.

 

[C.Ann]

Had a weird experience.
Stayed at a small lodge in a National Park recently
only 40 rooms, small lobby(Visualize 1/6 of Wilderness Lodge's lobby size-with a dining room off that. The lobby had a fireplace-3 sofas and maybe 8 comfy chairs.

So we notice a group of older women -maybe 12-sitting there as we seat ourselves in dining room at 7:3o PM for dinner. Our table is maybe 15 feet from them.About 8 pm A heavy set man arrives in sweats (He is their Minister)and they all start SINGING! We then realize they belong to the Church bus parked in the parking lot.

Dh and I finish, then we walked into the small gift shop, and could then hear the women giving "testimony" on various health issues and God curing them etc. We then went to our room


I felt that the inn staff should have suggested they move to a closed dining area-or the unused upstairs meeting room-noone else could use the lobby when this was going on.

---------------------------------------

It does sound like an odd choice of locations - considering there was a meeting room upstairs..

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Strange and uncomfortable. ITA! They're probably of the belief that it's one way they can share their faith.

 

[allison443]

I read this thread title as "Church group monopolizes hubby"

I need reading glasses.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Uggghhh, that was so rude of them. Did it ruin your whole trip? The way I see it a person's right to do what they want ends where someone else's right to not participate begins.

 

[Took]

I agree that the behavior was rude. This would be the case with any loud group of folks who "took over" a public facility which they were supposed to be sharing with others. I would have contacted the management and, at the very least, asked for a refund on my room.

 

[MomofKatie]

I read this thread title as "Church group monopolizes hubby"

I need reading glasses.

I read it right, but I thought it was a church monopolizing a group of lobbyists, and thought, "Oh, boy, a political AND religious thread? Watch how fast it will get locked!"

It does sound like the church group wanted to "spread the word", so to speak. Annoying for those not wanting to hear them go on.

 

[tchrrx]

I agree that it seems like an annoying situation. However, like someone else said, any noisy group in a public place is annoying. It's no different than going to a hotel with a conference/group of cheerleaders, bands, or anything else. Even though most meetings are held in meeting rooms, they always seem to spill into the public areas also.

 

[CowboyCO]

I was going to respond to this thread in a sarcastic way and decided to take a pass. But I do have to be amazed how Christians are treated when they are out in public -- And I'm not even religious. I guess it's OK to be Christian as long as you don't let peple know. Maybe they should all wear a star or something so you can avoid them.

 

[Disney Doll]

Would you have been as annoyed if it was another noisy group monopolizing the lobby?

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I'm sorry, but the fact that you're Christian doesn't give you the right to be annoying and rude. I try to be understanding of folks and their beliefs, but if a group of people are loud and obnoxious, I don't think we should give them a free pass just because of their affiliations. That applies to cheerleaders, Brazilian tour groups, Christians, school tours and business organizations.

And equating being annoyed with a group of people having a testimonial service at a national park with the Holocaust?

 

[mickeywho?]

Had a weird experience.
Stayed at a small lodge in a National Park recently
only 40 rooms, small lobby(Visualize 1/6 of Wilderness Lodge's lobby size-with a dining room off that. The lobby had a fireplace-3 sofas and maybe 8 comfy chairs.

So we notice a group of older women -maybe 12-sitting there as we seat ourselves in dining room at 7:3o PM for dinner. Our table is maybe 15 feet from them.About 8 pm A heavy set man arrives in sweats (He is their Minister)and they all start SINGING! We then realize they belong to the Church bus parked in the parking lot.

Dh and I finish, then we walked into the small gift shop, and could then hear the women giving "testimony" on various health issues and God curing them etc. We then went to our room

I felt that the inn staff should have suggested they move to a closed dining area-or the unused upstairs meeting room-noone else could use the lobby when this was going on.

What did the manager/staff do when you complained?

 

[joyjoy]

Rude and self-indulgent, regardless of what the group represented. They should have reserved something more private.

 

[Chuck S]

While I personally am not very religious, and I think there were likely better places to hold the services, I don't I'd be upset about. I'd think it was a little odd, and a little inconsiderate to other guest who may want to enjoy the lobby area.

 

[aprilgail2]

We then realize they belong to the Church bus parked in the parking lot.

Dh and I finish, then we walked into the small gift shop, and could then hear the women giving "testimony" on various health issues and God curing them etc. We then went to our room

I felt that the inn staff should have suggested they move to a closed dining area-or the unused upstairs meeting room-noone else could use the lobby when this was going on.

The staff should have put a stop to that right away- there is no reason to subject every person in the hotel to that! If there were no meeting rooms available they could have held their little singing prayer fest on their bus!

 

[Kath2003]

I was going to respond to this thread in a sarcastic way and decided to take a pass. But I do have to be amazed how Christians are treated when they are out in public -- And I'm not even religious. I guess it's OK to be Christian as long as you don't let peple know. Maybe they should all wear a star or something so you can avoid them.

What if it were cheerleaders doing their thing in the lobby?
Trombonists?
A political party?
A large family celebrating a birthday?

It doesn't matter who they were, what they believed etc. - they disrupted everyone else at the venue with their noise.

I really don't think Christians are being 'victimised' here - I think noisy, inconsiderate people are.

 

[BelleWDW]

Any group doing this is not ok

However, another group simply sitting and talking is one thing-this was like an organized Church prayer service.

The place was really tiny and the weather was dreadful-or DH and I would have strolled the grounds that evening-just wanted to get out of the small room for a spell.

It was just a stop of a long trip and did not "ruin" my trip

I am debating writing an email to the lodge with my suggestion.

 

[Chuck S]

Any group doing this is not ok

However, another group simply sitting and talking is one thing-this was like an organized Church prayer service.

The place was really tiny and the weather was dreadful-or DH and I would have strolled the grounds that evening-just wanted to get out of the small room for a spell.

It was just a stop of a long trip and did not "ruin" my trip

I am debating writing an email to the lodge with my suggestion.

Now I wonder if the group had maybe planned an outside meeting, but it was moved inside due to weather? Either way, I think a better area than the lobby could have been found.

 

[Jennasis]

Any group doing this is not ok

However, another group simply sitting and talking is one thing-this was like an organized Church prayer service.

The place was really tiny and the weather was dreadful-or DH and I would have strolled the grounds that evening-just wanted to get out of the small room for a spell.

It was just a stop of a long trip and did not "ruin" my trip

I am debating writing an email to the lodge with my suggestion.

Now I wonder if the group had maybe planned an outside meeting, but it was moved inside due to weather? Either way, I think a better area than the lobby could have been found.

DING DING DING!

I would bet the farm (and I have a farm...) that they had planned to hold their meeting outside and had to change plans due to the weather. I would also bet that they asked the management for permission (maybe management didn't realize how loud they'd be) and there may not have been another large space available for them to move to.

That said, they probably should've modified their service out of respect for those around them (noise-wise).

Make a joyful noise and all!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would have been inclined to complain if I had a problem with it--but I Find it interesting that you don't have a report of anyone complaining to a manager or that any of the hotel staff was doing anything about it.

It leads me to think they might have gotten approval to do that. Especially if it is possible they had to move it inside due to the weather.