Signs

Signs. Signs are a form of communication. What do our signs say?

In my email today, I found several funny signs. Take a look at these:

• A white highway sign in Monroeville, Pennsylvania , says, "Entrance Only/Do Not Enter."
• A yellow diamond-shaped sign from Mill Valley, California , says, "Not a Through Street." Right below it is a blue circle with a white arrow pointing straight ahead and the words, " Evacuation Route ."
• A sign in Pennsylvania says, "Invisible Fence Now Open."
• A sign from Tibet reads: "Lhasa Recelption Centre for the Unorganized Tourists."
• A sign from Rome, Georgia , says, "Used Rainbows, $250 and Up."
• And finally, a blue sign with white letters reads: "Pakistan-Narcotics Control Board Investigating Unit." But it is obscured a bit by the marijuana growing up in front of it.

Doug Lansky, Signspotting.com; submitted by Lee Eclov

Communication is a tricky business, and I don't think these signs, while humorous, communicated the message intended.

We had a District meeting at our church a couple of weekends ago. I wanted the people in our district who came for training to feel welcome; to feel that we cared that they were in our church building and that we wanted them to know where they were going. Truly, if you can find a bathroom, you are 10 points ahead of the game. I hope those signs said, underneath it all, "Welcome to our building; we are glad you are here."

Walk around your church building. Look at the signs. Look at the lack of signs. What do they communicate? Nothing is communication neutral. Everything says something. Is the message one that you want to convey? I think I'm taking a church walk.