I grew up being told to be thankful to those that provide a service for me. In fact I was almost apologetic in requesting people to provide a service when I got married. I discovered back then, that it was customary and showing gratitude to pay about $100 to someone that wasn't in my family for performing a service for my wedding. I did offer the sound tech at my wedding a check for $100 even though he turned it down. His response when I pressed the issue was to put it in the offering plate. He did say that if I really wanted to help out I could join the sound team. Since I had quite a bit of experience doing sound I did so.

During this past month I have been the sound tech at two weddings. Between the first and second I was informed that an attempt is being made to require weddings to pay for non staff members that provide a service to the wedding. Ok, I suppose I can agree with that. I’d rather it be a courtesy as a way of saying thanks but if the church wants to require it that will work too. The problem that I have is that at a bare minimum the non staff church member should at least receive a “Thank you” from someone involved with the wedding. I know that neither of the two weddings paid me for taking time away from my wife on both Friday and Saturday. I also know that the second wedding did not even thank me. It may have happened but gratitude by that first wedding is something that doesn’t stand out in my mind.

So I ask the question, is the entitlement attitude that prevalent? Is it really that I owe it to the next generation to provide the services that I can perform at no cost to them?