I found myself wondering if I should introduce myself to someone famous who came to our church on Sunday. After all, I’m the pastor’s wife, it would be entirely appropriate for me to walk up to someone and welcome them. But I was very aware of the fact that lots of other folks were doing the same thing, wanting to meet this famous person. And then I also thought about the fact that I don’t usually walk up to visitors and introduce myself. It’s just not who I am. It’s probably something I need to work on, but starting with a person that I want to meet only because he’s famous is not the way to do it. I felt like it would be an invasion of him to do it. And I wanted to respect his privacy.
I’m sure it happens a lot more to folks living in Nashville, but here, this is not a usual occurrence. It’s more likely that someone from here could become famous than a famous person come here.
Oh, the weird things we pastors’ wives think! And no, I’m not going to tell you who was here. My husband did post it on Facebook on Sunday, as did a few other people. I’m just going to let you wonder and guess, or research through Facebook to figure it out. Meanwhile, as much as I could hope that this person would join our church, I’m guessing he’s one of those people who could truthfully say that it’s easier to worship God at home than in church. I can’t imagine trying to worship with everyone gawking and staring, not that there was a lot of it going on. I’m already hyper-aware that as pastor’s wife, I can’t exactly let my guard down in front of the whole congregation. It’s gotta be worse when you’re famous and it’s not just the people in the room with you, but everyone that they are connected to who will know how you act, what you say, if you had to leave mid-sermon or cry during a song. For the record, none of that happened. I wish sometimes we allowed more freedom for people in worship to let down their guard, but for me and the famous folks (and believe me, I know that they have it way worse than I do) the fishbowl makes it hard to be yourself.
Blooming Joy! 
The closest parallel I have happened on our honeymoon. Probably the only unexpectedly running into someone famous I have really been in. We were checked in to go Denver-Los Angeles-Kauai, waiting for leg one, and saw, checking in and then sitting in the empty gate area next door, Roy Orbison.
Now, he is the one case in the world of someone who would NOT wear dark glasses to avoid recognition, I’m sure 🙂 And if I were a famous person I would get tired of people mobbing me in public, I’m also sure; but, if it was a couple on their honeymoon, I think that would be different – I might’ve even got a chorus of “Pretty Woman.”
But we didn’t interrupt his privacy. No one on the flight did, other than probably the stewardesses (in the days before flight attendants) calling him by name in First Class. As we got on the plane he was already seated. I nodded and he nodded back. That was the extent of any conversation. He left us in Los Angeles.
Fishbowl. It’s worse than a fishbowl – the fish is at least isolated and can run behind the little plastic castle. I think truly famous people look for that castle. At Best Buy I sold appliances to one of the local weather women and the Iowa Attorney General. I guess that’s pretty close to famous. They were gregarious, introduced themselves, knew they’d probably never see me again, at least not in Best Buy. And, Tim McClelland, the umpire who called George Brett’s pine tar home run and Sammy Sosa’s corked bat, goes to our church with his wife when he’s in town. Tim is not a member, last I knew, although his family are members. I think that validates your premise that they would rather worship elsewhere than in public.
I watched Andy Stanley in one of his series on Christianity talking about Ann Rice – once extremely atheist, then vocally Christian, then declaring her love for Jesus, His importance in her life, and her leaving organized Christianity. Ann, Tim, your famous person, might find solace in Nadia Bolz-Weber with the House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, or with Jay Bakker and Revolution, representing organized but certainly not mainstream recognizable churches.
And there is the final thought – recognition. What do we recognize Mr./Ms. Famous for? Acting/singing/politicking, or as a sinner saved by grace loving our Lord with us?
Boy, can I have fun writing about this if I decide to go there. Thanks, Stephanie!!
For your reference, if you don’t know the Sarcastic Lutheran already: http://blogarchive.sojo.net/author/nadia_bolz_weber/ or @Sarcasticluther on Twitter.
I remember my first “famous person” experience at church. A famous singer with family in the small town where I previously lived. There was this flurry of excitement because he was there. All I could think was if Jesus was visually present in our church would we be as excited?